BIT Nov 12 by Brisbane Indian Times

Premier Travel & Tours Pty Ltd Phone: (07) 3831 5866 Fax: 07 3831 5877 premiertravel@bigpond.com For prompt reliable travel services to all destinations around the world. Specialising in travel to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh. Specialising in guided tours to India. Volume 10, Number 2 Saturday, November 10, 2012

Brisbane

Indian Times A Division of Qld Multicultural Times Print Post Approved PP:424022 1724

Telephone: (07) 3356 0102 Fax:(07) 3352 7693 E-mail admin@indiantimes.com.au

As God is One, we respect all Religions

Brisbane celebrates Diwali

Continued page 32

• Members of Brisbane Gayatri Pariwar lighting Diyas for Deep Poojam at Diwali.

TO ADVERTISE IN BIT CALL 07 3356 0102 E: admin@indiantimes.com.au PACKAGES AVAILABLE!

Need an accountant with a competitve edge and in-depth industry knowledge? www.hanrickcurran.com.au

Curran specialise in: Hanrick Curran

Nando’s Mt Gravatt - Palmdale S/C, 2120 Logan Rd. Ph: 3420 6644

taxation

corporate services corporate

superannuation superannuation

property property

audit & assurance assurance

business advisory

human resources

insur insurance ance

¤ ¨ ¡ ၹၽၸ ¡£ ¬ ¡ ¦ ¤¢§£¤ထ ª ¬ £ ¦¡ ¤ ¬ £ ¨ £ ¤ ¨ ¡ ၹၽၸ ¡£ ¬ ¡ ¦ ¤¢§£¤ထ ª ¬ £ ¦¡ ¤ ¬ £ ¨ £ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¨ ¡ ¤ န ¤ ¤ ¤ ¨ ¡ ¤ န

Phone: 07 3218 3900

Vivek Chopra

Jamie To TTowers owers

www.hanrickcurran.com.au

Letter to Editor

AUSTRALIA is on the brink of a revolution in the exploration and processing of under ground natural gas. Or as it is known Coal Seam Gas. I have no problem with interested parties sustainably mining areas of Australia to share our mineral wealth with the rest of the world but I do have a problem with some of the processes used in mining and especially in the exploration and processing of CSG. There is not enough known about the process or the problems that come with the exploration and processing of this product. People are claiming that their health has been compromised and that areas of land and under ground water are being polluted. We do not need another situation like what we now have with Asbestos. Taking the problems that may come with the exploration and processing of C S G into account I have now put the C S G Industry on notice under their Duty of care and also Under sections 289 – 290 – 193 –194 of the Queensland Criminal code. Section 289 Persons in charge of dangerous things, sec-

tion 290 Duty to do certain acts, sections 194 False declarations, section 193 False statements as well as sections on negligence – natural and probable consequences –malice –tort law –damage to property – Land management act - Environmental protection act , civil liabilities and the United nations rights of the child. All owners, managers, employees, agents, servants, share holders and suppliers to the Coal seam gas industry have now been put on notice and as such are now liable for any consequence that may occur that could cause injury, death, illness, economic loss or pollution to water or land or air. They have now been put on notice and may have action taken against them in the civil or criminal courts. They are now liable for their actions as they have been informed of problems that may occur and they must act in the best interests of the people of Australia and the land mass of Australia and cause no harm or economic loss. Peter Schuback Hervey Bay

From the Publisher

Calamvale Market Place Shop 5A, 2605 Beaudesert Rd Cnr Nottingham Rd CALAMVALE Qld 4116 where you get the best deals everytime!

Fiji - India - Pakistan Los Angeles - Auckland - London Cheapest fares available

for these and many more

destinations around the world OPENING HOURS

Mon-Fri: 9.00 - 5.00 Thurs: 9.00 - 7.00 Sat: 9.30 - 1.30

JAVED RAHMAN Mobile: 0413 140 610 (Optus) 0433 212 907 (3 Phone)

Ph: (07) 3711 6040 Fax: (07) 3711 6141

Email: Javed.Rahman@bestdealtravel.com.au - Web: www.bestdealtravel.com.au

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Letters to the Editor.......................2 Migration Matters...........................4 Local News.................................5-21 Business News..........................24-26 Who, What, Where, When..........30 Diwali Events / Greetings.......32-35 Health & Well Being................38-41 Astrology.........................................42 Real Estate................................44-47 Business Directory/Classifieds...48-49 What’s On................................50-52 Bollywood & Entertainment...53-57 Sport..........................................58-59

JOURNALIST/ CORRESPONDENTS: Ram Jattan (UK) Thakur Ranjit Singh (NZ) Thilliar Varnakulasingham (NZ) Shalendra Prasad (Fiji) Dhaval Vyas (India) Rama Gaind (Canberra) Sudesh Aggarwal (ATO News) ML. M. Nawaaz Ashrafi Imam Muhammad Aslam Sundar Gopal Das Yadavendra Das Pastor Joseph Dass Haji Abdul Rahman Deen Janeth Deen Jitendra Deo Atul Dighe (Spiritual Science Research Foundation) Mehraban Farahmand (Baha’i International)

2 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November 2012

Brisbane Indian Times welcomes letters to the editor. Please ensure that letters do not exceed 300 words. All letters, must have a full name, residential address and a phone number. Hard copy letters must have legible signature. Only your name and suburb are published. Initials and pen names are not accepted. All correspondence to the editor is assumed to be for publication unless marked otherwise. The editor reserves the right to abridge, alter (edit) or withhold any correspondence without explanation. Opinions expressed must be genuinely held by the letter writer. Please send your thoughts and opinions to: The Editor, Brisbane Indian Times, PO Box 197, Taigum Qld 4018 or email: prod@indiantimes.com.au

Brisbane

Published Monthly OWNERS / PUBLISHERS: Umesh & Usha Chandra ADVERTISING: Trudi Tarres EDITOR: Trudi Tarres

Krishnanand Saraswati, (1900-1992) former judge from India, was the founder of Human Service trust in Mauritius. Swami Krishnanand ventured in the Leadership Training on 15th August 1967 with a group of 40 young volunteers. The aim was to train Leaders for every field for the future of the Independent Mauritius. Till date, thousands of youngsters have been trained and encouraged to persevere in the fields of education, social work, business and politics among others. I was surprised to see all the signs (roads and otherwise) in English as I thought that they would be in French, English is now encouraged and spoken commonly, alongside Creole, French, Hindi and Bhojpuri. Hindi has gained prominence and with a large influx of Indian Tourists, Hindi is now commonly spoken. There are Hindi radio stations, announcers of which often break out in the local lingo and English, but quite professionally. The conference theme "Shared Roots Common Destiny: was quite appropriate. I visited the historic site of the first landing, a world heritage listed "Apravasi Ghat". Ganga Talao, is another place that pleasantly surprised me, as you approach this lake you are greeted with a Huge statue of lord Shiva, construction is underway for Durga mata Statue which will be one hundred and eight feet in Height. Ganga Talao has become a place of pilgrimage, with temples and surrounding that you would traditionally find in India, Maha Shivratri is the biggest festival celebrated here. I must pen off, May this Diwali bring happiness, peace and prosperity onto you and your family, Until next Month, happy Reading. UMESH CHANDRA

Letters to the Editor

Please contact

Award Winning Agent - Select Group’s Top 5 Agents in Qld, Brisbane Indian Times Tourism Award 2006 & Southern Cross Galileo’s Most Improved Business of The Year

Inside

HAPPY Diwali to one and all, may everyone be bestowed happiness (Loka Samasta Sunhino Bhawantu), May there always be light of wisdom in your life to dispel the darkness of ignorance. On this occasion my thoughts are with the less fortunate ones, and ones who are away from their families, ones who are in hospital or nursing homes, please spare a thought for them and if possible visit them. While it is a time for rejoicing it is also a time for reflection on the past, it is a time when traditionally traders close their accounting book and write off any bad debts to start a fresh new Financial New Year. It is also a time to leave aside past differences and move forward with new found friendship, this is the true essence of Diwali. May the coming New year be prosperous and beneficial to all. Brisbane has seen the largest number of Diwali celebrations ever this year, congratulations to all the organisers, the standard of all the functions alongside the performers has risen . In Late October I had the pleasure of attending the Regional PBD in Mauritius, what an experience, I must thank Robin and Amitha Jaggesar for their wonderful company. The sixth regional PBD was a huge success, (please refer to main article page 20). The success was largely due to the unity amongst everyone concerned. From our driver to the President of Mauritius, all shared the same vision, and all complemented each other of the success of the function. It is a true paradise, best known for its serene seaside resorts, which are to be found all around the Island. I had the pleasure of attending other events organised by locals, and here I discovered the secret to their success and unity. Most of them are the disciples of Swami

Indian Times A D ivi sio n of Qld Multi cultural Time s

Kiran Goel (Immigration Matters) Jatinder Kaur Vinaya Natarajan (Inspire - Prem Rawat) Peter Lane Rai Parth Raval Shobhana Shet (Spiritual Science Research Foundation) Gurjeet Singh Matt Young (Sport) Suite 5, 2281 Sandgate Road Boondall Qld 4034 TELEPHONE: (07) 3356 0102 FACSIMILE:(07) 3352 7693 E-MAIL: prod@indiantimes.com.au Subscriptions: 12 months $40.00 (incl GST) 6 months $24.00 (incl GST) ADDRESS:

www.indiantimes.com.au

Brisbane Indian Times is a monthly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Brisbane Indian Times, may be reproduced in part or who without the written consent of the manager. Opinions carried in Brisbane Indian Times are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Brisbane Indian Times. Brisbane Indian Times will not be held liable for any advertising / editorial content - Advertisers supply/approve content therefore should any content be deemed inappropriate it is the advertisers responsibility. While every effort has been made to capture the true likeness to colour printing is an art and therefore we cannot guarantee an exact matching of product to image. Refund / Credit is not given as a result of the previous mentioned. All correspondence should be addressed to: Brisbane Indian Times, PO Box 197, Taigum Qld 4018. PH: (07) 3356 0102 Fax: 3352 7693 admin@indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Did you hold a student visa on 8 February 2010? If this visa was a subclass 572, 573 or 574 visa and your studies end soon, you need to think about your plans now. This may include choosing to return home or to apply for another Australian visa to study, work or travel. Remember that you must have a valid visa to stay in Australia. Time is running out to apply for transitional arrangements to work or study. Applications close 31 December 2012. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out. To find out more, visit www.immi.gov.au/students/8-feb-students

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 3

Recent news about Australian Migration Regulations Increase in Visa Fees from 1 January 2013 AS part of the Mid Year Fiscal Outlook review the Federal Government will be increasing visa application charges for certain in demand visa subclasses from 1 January 2013. The effected visa’s are as follows: * Offshore Partner visas: increase from $3060 to $4000 * Onshore Partner visas: increase from $2060 to $2700 * Skilled Graduate (Subclass 485) visas: increase from $315 to $1260 * Subclass 457 visas: increase from $350 to “around” $455 * Working Holiday visas: increase from $280 to “around” $360 New Temporary Work Visas from 24 November 2012 New Temporary Work Visas will be implanted from 24 November 2012 and will replace 12 current temporary work visas. Three new temporary work Subclasses will be introduced and amendments will be made to the Subclass 420 and Subclass 457 visas as below. 1. Subclass 401 (Temporary Work (Long Stay Activity)) visa The Subclass 401 visa will replace the Exchange (Subclass 411) visa, Sport (Subclass 421) visa, and Religious Work (Subclass 428) visa, and establish a single Long Stay Activity sponsorship. This new visa will have the following three streams (1) Exchange stream (for applicants participating in an exchange of staff); (2) Sport stream; and (3) Religious Worker stream. 2. Subclass 402 (Training and Research) visa The Subclass 402 visa will replace the Occupational Trainee (Subclass 442) visa, the Visiting Academic (Subclass 419) visa, and the Professional Development (Subclass 470) visa and

establish a single Training and Research sponsorship. This new visa will three streams: (1) Research stream; (2) Occupational Trainee stream (requires nomination by a Training and Research sponsor); and (3)Professional Development stream (requires nomination by a Professional Development sponsor). 3. Subclass 403 (Temporary Work (International Relations)) visa The Subclass 403 visa will replace the Subclass 406 (Government Agreement) visa, the Subclass 415 (Foreign Government Agency) visa, Subclass 426 (Domestic Worker – Diplomatic or Consular visa, and the Privileges and Immunities provisions currently in the Subclass 456 (Business (Short Stay)) and Subclass 457 (Business (Long Stay)) visas. This Subclass will not require sponsorship and will have three streams: (1) Applicants covered by an international government agreement, or who direct the operations in Australia of certain language institutes; (2) Applicants who are to be employed as representatives of certain foreign government agencies or as foreign language teachers in Australian schools; and (3) Applicants who undertake domestic duties in the households of holders of diplomatic visas; and applicants accorded privileges and immunities. SkillSelect Update October 2012 In total during 2012 the following invi-

include the state and territory government nominated subclasses that result in invitations. State and territory governments nominate throughout the month for points tested skilled migration and business innovation and investment visas. Separate results for these visa subclasses are provided monthly. The volume of invitations has been increasing after each round , however, the number of invitations are still far below what would be required to fill the General Skilled Migration program through the SkillSelect system. There are approximately 75,000 places available in the 2012-13 financial year, which would require a minimum of 1,500 invitations a week for the program to be filled via SkillSelect. State/Territory Nominated Applicants State/Territory nomination is available both for the permanent Subclass 190 visa, and the 4-year provisional subclass 489 visa. So far in July there were 107 invitations and in August there were 732 invitations and in September there were 635 invitations. Points Score for Automated Invitations The threshold pass mark for SkillSelect General Skilled Visas is 60. The points required to receive an invitation may be higher than this. For each round, the Department of Immigration has published the minimum pass mark required

tations have been issued: Scheduled invitation rounds do not

for an automated invitation. Continued page 6

New Courses Started

Wishing you all the very best for DIW WALI

2 YYeear Advanced Diploma in IT 2 year Business Courses 2 YYeear Diploma of IT Package up to 3 years or more Welcome to all new students³Congratulations you have made the best choice! Enrol now in courses:

Automotive Mechanical Automotive Diesel (Cert 3) Automotive Electrical Cert 3) Automotive Management (2 years ) EngineeringͶWelding and Fabrication (Cert 3) Information TTeechnology (Cert 4 & Dip & Adv Dip) Business (Cert 4, Diploma & Advanced Diploma)

Congratulations To all students who got: > PR > Work Visa > Skilled Sponsored Visa Www.intech.edu.au RTO30100, CRICOS 02035F

28 Russell Street or 44 Hope Street, South Brisbane, QLD, Tel: 3846 7774 4 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5

Make your grandparent’s Australian Sikh researcher making a difference day on 18 November GRANDPARENTS Day on Sunday 18 November is an opportunity for everyone to make their grandparent's day by thanking them for their love and support. Community groups can get involved by organising a Grandparents Day event. Ideas for activities include morning teas, an intergenerational walk for grandparents and grandkids or exhibiting artwork from children on why they love their grandparents. Grandchildren and families can also get involved by doing something special to make their grandparent’s day.

You could send your grandparents a special postcard or certificate, treat your grandparents to lunch, or just spend time together doing something you and your grandparents enjoy. You can order free Grandparents Day posters and postcards at www.communities.qld.gov.au. On this website you can also find downloadable certificates of recognition for grandparents, template posters and media releases, and ideas and tips for organising events. The theme of Grandparents Day 2012 is ‘Make your grandparent’s day!’

Recent news about Australian Migration Regulations.... Continued from page 4 THE good news is that the required pass mark has decreased in each round as follows: 1 August 75 points; 1 September 2012 points; 15 September 2012 65 points; 15 October 2012 60 points. In November, two invitation rounds will be held for skilled independent and skilled regional (provisional) visa subclasses covering a maximum of 3000 persons in that month. These rounds will be on 1 November 2012 and 15 November 2012. The table below lists the maximum number of invitations that will be issued in the respective rounds, by visa subclass. 1 November 2012 Visa Subclass Maximum Number Skilled - Independent (subclass 189) 1400 Skilled - Regional Provisional (subclass 489) 100 15 November 2012 Visa Subclass Maximum Number Skilled - Independent (subclass 189) 1400 Skilled - Regional Provisional (subclass 489) 100 NSW Announces New State Nomination List for General Skilled Migration The NSW Government has announced a new list of occupations for state nomination for general skilled (points tested) visas. The list has far more occupations, lower English language requirements and lower work experience requirements for the previous list and is a great opportunity for many applicants to qualify for skilled migration to Australia.

There are many more occupations on the new list. Some of these new occupations include: Accountants, Lawyers, IT professionals, Medical Specialisations, Nurses, Engineers, Teachers and University Lecturers, Welders, Fitters and Metal Machinists, Building trades, Automotive Trades, Hotel Managers, Cooks, Chefs and Bakers. Under previous State Migration plan requirements, the NSW State government had very high English language requirements for state nomination - a minimum of 7 in each band was required and in some cases 8 in the IELTS test. The new requirement is a minimum of 6 in each component of IELTS, is significantly easier for applicants. For some occupations (eg Accounting, Nursing) a higher level of English may be required to pass the skills assessment requirement for a general skilled visa. In the previous State Migration Plans, most occupations required a minimum of 3 years of work experience for nomination. For the new list, cooks need at least 5 years of work experience in a commercial kitchen, but other occupations appear to have minimal or nil work experience. Again, many occupations may require skilled work experience to pass the skills assessment. The following visas can be applied for with state nomination Skilled - Nominated Subclass 190 & Skilled - Regional Sponsored Subclass 489. This article is intended to provide general information on migration issues and does not constitute migration advice, and no responsibility is accepted by Kiran Goel or AIEES for the accuracy of material appearing in the Brisbane Indian Times. (Ms Kiran Goel MARN: 0639149)

AN Australian Sikh researcher Mrs Jatinder Kaur presented her research at the prestigious International Society Prevention of Child Abuse & neglect (ISPCAN) International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect Conference that was held on 9-12 September 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. In 2006, Mrs Kaur conducted the first research of its kind in Australia which explored the interface between culturally diverse families (migrants and refugees) and the child protection system. At that time she was employed as a frontline child protection worker in the Queensland Department of Child Safety, and was able to observe a high number of CALD children coming to the attention of CP system and frontline staff struggling to deal with the complex cross cultural issues. At that time there was NO published research in Australia that explored this topic. She designed and developed the Cross Cultural Child Protection Survey instrument (CCCPS) which explored cross cultural competence within the child protection setting. The research highlighted the need for child protection officers to have the opportunity to attend CALD specific training and also a need for the development of cross cultural competence training specific to child protection. She has published two papers in Academic peer reviewed journals: Children Australia (32:4, 2007) and Developing Practice (Issue 23, 2009). She was filmed in the DVD on ‘Cross Cultural Practice in Social Work and Human Services’ devel-

Garba Nights 2012 - a huge success!

oped by Griffith University. Mrs Kaur was able to present the key findings of her Australian research to eminent International researchers, academics, practitioners from both developed and developing countries in child welfare system. In Australia, Mrs Kaur has played a significant role in building capacity and knowledge for child welfare system in dealing with migrant and refugee families. She launched a research report on ‘Cultural Diversity and Child Protection: A research review of the Australian research on the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and refugee children and families. This report is the first publication of its kind to review the available research literature on CALD and refugee families in the Australian child protection system (CPS). This review revealed a number of gaps in service delivery, data collection, policy and practice guidelines in this area. The review found there is a lack of data or evidence about: prevalence of child abuse and neglect amongst CALD and refugee communities; placement needs in out-of-home care (OOHC); and, what early intervention and prevention strategies are effective in working with these communities. Report is available online: http://www.jkdiversityconsultants.com.au/ Cultural_Diversity_&_Child_Protection_ Kaur2012_A4.pdf See report launch online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= NYaJP5eL6zo

ECCQ Board elected at AGM CCN - Crescents Community News www.crescentsofbrisbane.org THE first board of directors of the Ethnic Communities Council of QLD (ECCQ) under the new constitution was elected on 17 October at the peak body’s annual general meeting. The new constitution was unanimously approved by members at a special general meeting in June, taking effect from July 1, 2012. The nomination of Agnes Whiten OAM was unopposed and she was re-elected chairperson. Serge Voloschenko OAM and Michael Yau were elected to the new positions of deputy chair. Others elected to the board were: • Chalani Gunasekara • Dr Mustafa Ally • Alex Daniloff • Surendra Prasad OAM • Irene Cayas • Gail Ker OAM • Dr Carla Tromans

By Amar Joshi A SUCCESSFUL Garba Nights 2012 was organised by Gujju Lions on 13th & 14th October at Nundah. Garba Nights 2012 was overwhelmed by Garba lovers who participated in huge numbers for the two days. Arrangement including Kids Zone, On screen live Garba, guests area setup and delicious food was praised by everyone. Gujju Lions Association of Brisbane Inc. expressed thanks to the Supporters, Participants & Sponsors for making this event successful. 6 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

Nick Xynias AO BEM, has been nominated Hon President by the board and, in accordance with the constitution, will be a director on the board. www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Is your home at risk? Find out with a free FloodWise Property Report or Flood Flag Map.

BCC5924-BIT-FFM-BG BCC4237-Q-BRIO

Be prepared this summer

Visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/beprepared or call Council on (07) 3403 8888. If you need an interpreter, call 131 450 and ask to speak with Brisbane City Council.

Early learning is a building block to a better future. Find your nearest Queensland Government-approved kindergarten program – where they can learn, while making friends.

Call 1800 4 KINDY (1800 454 639) or visit www.qld.gov.au/kindy My child was born

My child can attend kindy

1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009

2013

1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010

2014

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

Enrol your child in kindy today!

Kindy is available at low or no cost for Health Care Card holders. For more information in a language other than English, phone 1800 4 KINDY (1800 454 639) and ask for an interpreter.

Jay Laga’aia – Actor/ Musician/ Dad Authorised by the Queensland Government, Mary St, Brisbane Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 7

An exceptional 25th Marriage Anniversary RAFIUL Alam (ex – President, The Bangladesh Association in Brisbane Inc and Brisbane Bangla Language School) and his wife Shimu Alam celebrated their 25th Marriage Anniversary on 6 October 2012 at Strathpine Community Centre. Through this celebration, Rafiul and Shimu have introduced an easy way to do something meaningful for underprivileged people by collecting donations from the invitees for an Australian charity, instead of gifts. Over the years, Rafiul has observed that the Bangladeshi community organise various parties almost every weekend. Invitees of these parties spend time and money in buying gifts which are mostly not useful. So, he requested invitees of this celebration (around 130 families, background from the sub-continent) to donate the amount (budgeted for gift to Rafiul or Shimu) to an Australian charity. The donation initiative was supported generously by the invitees. Rafiul and Shimu’s marriage story (a story of unconditional love and marriage promise without seeing each other) was presented by classical songs, and popular Bangladeshi and Bollywood dances. The reason behind this presentation was to clarify arrange marriage (when a bride and groom of similar background like each other and then parents organise their marriage) to young Australians of the sub-continental origin. The songs were selected to reflect emotional stresses of Rafiul and Shimu as they could not communicate or see each other due to distance and traditional family values. The dances were selected to reflect joy and hap-

• Above: Rafiul and Shimu - Mehendi Night and Left with son Shamaul and daughter Nushin.

piness in both families when they came together at an appropriate time for them to orgnaise Rafiul and Shimu’s marriage. In order to give full flavour of a traditional wedding to young Australians of the sub-continental origin, Rafiul and Shimu also organised a Mehendi (henna) Party at Cementco Bowls Club, Darra on 5 October 2012. The celebration generated endless enthusiasm, joy and happiness among the young Australians of the invitee families. The entertainment part of the celebration will be a life time memory for many of the performers and invitees.

Oz Fest India: Australian ingenuity for Exhibition in India ARTS Minister Simon Crean on 5 November opened a new exhibition ondeveloped using ingenuity and expertise from Museum Victoria in Melbourne at the new Kaladham Museum in Southern India. “The Place-Hampi exhibition is part of the biggest cultural festival Australia has ever brought to India—Oz Fest: Australia Unlimited,” Mr Crean said. “This is a stunning exhibition developed by Museum Victoria in partnership with counterparts in India merging art, heritage and technology in a magnificent immersive 3D display about an ancient World Heritage Listed archaeological site at Hampi. “I’m sure the 360-degree, 3D panoramic visual and surround-sound display, originally shown at Melbourne’s Immigration Museum,

will be a standout feature of the new heritage and tourism precinct in Karnataka State.” Mr Crean said the exhibition highlights the important role cultural diplomacy and exchange plays in strengthening Australia’s engagement with Asian countries. “Arts and culture are the essence of our identity and how we understand each other people to people, countryto-country and region-to-region,” Mr Crean said. “Through Oz Fest, which is currently on in India, Australia’s creative industries are forming part of a whole-ofgovernment advocacy and public diplomacy strategy,” he said. “The Australian Government’s Australia in the Asian Century White Paper sets a clear objective for cultural

diplomacy and exchange to drive stronger, deeper and broader engagement with Asian nations. “Over the next five years, 12,000 Australia Awards (Asian Century) will be provided to undertake inward and outward study or professional development between Australia and nations in Asia. “The people-to-people links forged through arts and culture can open up new business, training and market opportunities and are an integral part of strengthening political and trade relationships.” Further information about the PlaceHampi exhibition can be found at http://place-hampi.museum/ and Oz Fest at http://ozfestindia.com/

Major Multicultural Summit Highlights Qld’s Diverse Society eak-body Ethnic Communities Council of P Queensland held Queensland's major multicultural conference on 29 and 30 October at the State Library of

Queensland. The exceptional speaker program included Waleed Aly, Dr Sohail Inayatullah, Neville Roach, Dr Helen Szoke, Paris Aristotle, Pino Migliorno, Roly Sussex and many more who focused on various emerging issues facing Queensland’s increasingly multicultural and diverse society at a time of deep political change, intense fiscal restraint, high migration demands and skills shortages. Some of key issues discussed were employment and the contributions of migrants to the bottom line of the Australian economy, the anti-discrimination process and the persistence of racism, cultural responsiveness within the healthcare system and the role of media and how well it reflects our diverse society. Please visit ECCQ’s website www.eccq.com.au.summit for Summit presentations, or visit ECCQ’s twitter page https://twitter.com/ECCQ

Be a true Aussie Hero! Do something great! Please donate blood today... • There are four (4) types of • Generally, almost everyone blood in the human body is afraid of donating blood such as A, B, O and AB, believing that it will harm among which there are positheir lives. Shamefully, people tive (+ve) and negative (-ve) with such fear are reluctant to sub groups; donate blood. • Due to accidents, major sur• It is true that a blood donagical operations and during tion is not only good for every child birth, lots of blood can human body but at the same Mazhar H. Sayeed, be lost; Student Griffith University, time it is a great service to • In such critical situations humanity and a noble cause, Nathan Campus, Qld of emergency, a lot of blood in turn. is essentially required, through individuals The Holy books of Psalms/Zaboor (David), blood donations “A life struggling for life” Tora (Moses), Gospel/Bible (Jesus) and the can be saved; Quran (Mohammad) confirm that a blood • Remember, the blood which is donated donation is a foremost duty (ibada’t) of all alone saves a life; mankind. • From 18-65 years of age, men and women Quote from the Holy Quran: Surat-alcan make a blood donation (min. 45 kilo Mai’da 5: Aya’t 32) should be the donor’s body weight); (Arabic version) “Waman ahyaha faka’an• Men, once in every three months and nama ahya-an-naasa jameeia” (5:32) women, once in every four months can (English Translation) “And if anyone saved donate blood; a life, it would be as if he saved the life of • A minimum of five (5) to six (6) liters of all mankind” (5:32 Holy Quran) blood is running in the human body; There is a proverb (25) from Good News • During blood donations, only one unit of Bible (page 63) United Bible Societies – blood is taken (one unit=350 m.lit only); Today’s English version, British Edition. • Before the blood donation, the person body Quote: “Be generous (donate blood), and is carefully checked by competent medical you will be prosperous. Help others (to live) experts; and you will be helped. (63:25) • To donate blood, it takes just fifteen (15) Our Slogan shall always be: minutes for a blood donation; WE SHALL DONATE BLOOD! • Soon after a few minutes of donating AND WE SHALL SAVE ALL blood, the donor can start working as normal MANKIND! ; Please make your next appointment to give • Most importantly the human body has the blood today, just call 13 14 95 to Australian power and natural mechanism to gain or re- Red Cross Blood Services or visit donateproduce fresh blood within forty eight (48) blood.comm.au hours to compensate for the loss of blood in Remember *Every contribution helps to the body; save 3 more lives*

8 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 9

BSQ Durga Puja 2012 BENGALI Society of Queensland held their 2012 Duga Puja on 20 and 21 October at Aspley State School, Horn Road Aspley. After the Puja during the day of the 20th, the cultural night followed. Once again a variety of concerts were presented. The talent within the growing Bengali community in Brisbane is amazing, keeping the good name of their cultural heritage high. Mrs Archana Singh

Honorary Consul for India in Queensland was in attendance. On the second night the committee members were introduced to all. A Dhanuuchi dance competition to the live beat of Dhak was organised. Shindhur Khelan by the ladies followed the Bisharjan. Once again the stage decorations were superbly and artistically done.

Global grooves Festival highlights Cultural Diversity in Mackay

A VARIETY of national music could be heard throughout Queens Park - people wearing brightly coloured traditional clothing were dotted here and there and enticing aromas floated across the breeze. Brisbane Babas Band, featured as the finale with Bollywood and Bhangra numbers, and what a great performance they put on, the audience were cheering, dancing and showering money on to the popular band. Tony Zimmermann of Kennedy sound hire said "I have never seen anything like this before". "It was awesome... a great family day," Eton resident Civeen Wilson said. "It shows that Mackay has a very diverse community and

events like this are extremely important. We will definitely come back next year," she said. Celebrating Mackay's multicultural mix was the aim of the event, Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre festivals and events producer David Gerrand said. "Through dance, song and food, particularly, you get a window into their community," Mr Gerrand said. There were twenty different ethnic food vendors lined up at the park, however, one of the culinary drawcards was the Fijian community's free Lovo feast. Chicken, pork and beef were cooked in a fire pit using heated river stones, which is the traditional method of preparation. MacKay's Filipino

community had also built a hut and filled it with information about their diverse culture. Forty-six people were presented with Australian citizenship in a ceremony that began yesterday's event; and 15 countries were represented in the National Costume Parade." Some countries, like India, have different provinces, so there were different varieties," Mr Gerrand said. Educational talks at the rotunda covered a variety of communities such as South Sea Islanders, Muslim and Indian. MacKay Regional Council multicultural worker Lara Payne said was an important addition. "It just creates a deeper level of education and understanding of cultural diversity."

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETTING PAYS & d͗ ϵϵй ŽĨ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ŚĂǀĞ ůŝƩůĞ Žƌ ŶŽ ŝĚĞĂ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ĞǆƉůŽŝƚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ďĞŶĞĮƚ͘ ŶĚ ŝĨ ǇŽƵ ĂŶƐǁĞƌ EK ƚŽ ĂŶǇ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ͕ ǇŽƵƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŝƐ ĂůƌĞĂĚǇ ůŽƐŝŶŐ ŽƵƚ ƚŽ ŝƚƐ ĐŽŵƉĞƟƚŽƌƐ͘ ǀĞŶ ŝĨ ǇŽƵ ĂůƌĞĂĚǇ ƵƐĞ ^ŽĐŝĂů DĞĚŝĂ͗

ϭ͘ ƌĞ ǇŽƵ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ŐĂŝŶ ŵŽƌĞ ĞǆƉŽƐƵƌĞ ĂŶĚ ŽŶůŝŶĞ ƚƌĂĸĐ ŝŶ Ă ĐƌĞĂƟǀĞ ǁĂǇ͍ Ϯ͘ Ž ǇŽƵ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ǁĞůů ƚŚŽƵŐŚƚ ŽƵƚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐǇ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƚŽ ƐƵĐĐĞĞĚ͍ ϯ͘ ŽĞƐ ǇŽƵƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƉŽůŝĐǇ͍ ϰ͘ ƌĞ ǇŽƵ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ ƵƉĚĂƚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ůĂƚĞƐƚ ĞǀŽůǀŝŶŐ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƚŽŽůƐ͕ ƉůĂƞŽƌŵƐ Θ ƚĂĐƟĐƐ͍ Ž ǇŽƵ ƌĞĂůůǇ ĞǀĞŶ ŚĂǀĞ ĞŶŽƵŐŚ ƟŵĞ ƚŽ ĚŽ ĂŶǇ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂďŽǀĞ ĞīĞĐƟǀĞůǇ͍ KƉƟŵĂů /ŶŇƵĞŶĐĞ ^ŽĐŝĂů DĞĚŝĂ ƚĂŬĞƐ ĐĂƌĞ ŽĨ Ăůů ǇŽƵƌ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ŶĞĞĚƐ ƐŽ ƚŚĂƚ ǇŽƵ ĐĂŶ ĨŽĐƵƐ ŽŶ ǁŚĂƚ ǇŽƵ ůŽǀĞ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ- ǇŽƵƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͊͊͊ KƉƟŵĂů /ŶŇƵĞŶĐĞ ŝƐ Ă ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ^ŽĐŝĂů DĞĚŝĂ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽŽƐƚĞƌƐ͛ ŐůŽďĂů ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬ ŽĨ ŚŝŐŚůǇ ƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŶĚ ƐŬŝůůĞĚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂŶƚƐ͘ tĞ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝǌĞ ŝŶ ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ ƚĂŝůŽƌĞĚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ ĚĞƉĞŶĚŝŶŐ ŽŶ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂů ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐ͘ ^Ž ĐŽŵĞ ŽŶ͕ ũƵŵƉ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂŶĚǁĂŐŽŶ ĂŶĚ ďĞ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ Ă ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ ƐƚŽƌǇ͘ Ăůů ƵƐ Žƌ ĞŵĂŝů ƵƐ ƚŽ ĮŶĚ ŽƵƚ ŵŽƌĞ ŽŶ ŚŽǁ ǁĞ ĐĂŶ ĂƐƐŝƐƚ ǇŽƵ͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ Dƌ͘ ŚŝŶƚĂŶ 'ĂŶĚŚŝ ĚŝƌĞĐƚůǇ ŽŶ

Ϭϰϭϯ ϲϲϱ ϵϬϱ KZ

ŵĂŝů͗ ĐŚŝŶƚĂŶΛŽƉƟŵĂůŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞ͘ĐŽŵ͘ĂƵ ǁǁǁ͘ŽƉƟŵĂůŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞ͘ĐŽŵ͘ĂƵ 10 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Brisbane

Indian Times

BOOKING DEADLINES

A D ivi sio n of Qld Multi cultural Time s

December 12 issue Advertisers 30 November / Editorial submissions 3 December January 2013 issue - advertisers 7 January 2013 / editorial submissions 9 Jan 13 Email: admin@indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 11

Chinmaya Annual Navarathri Family Camp 2012 Meena Subramanian Brisbane And finally, another eagerly awaited annual event of Chinmaya Mission Australia, Brisbane - the Annual Navarathri Family Camp arrived. The camp this year was held at Kindilan Outdoor Education and Recreation Centre, Redland Bay under the guidance and leadership of Brahmachari Gopalji, our resident Acharya based at Sydney. Located in a serene and scenic backdrop, there is a natural ambience of divinity about Kindilan which made it an apt location for the spiritual camp. The camp schedule was packed with loads of activities. The camp officially began by introducing and welcoming Gopalji with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Purna Kumbhaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (the Hindu ritual of welcoming a guru). Soon after, the entire team was split into groups and the activities began with ice-breakers organised by the CHYKS (Chinmaya Yuva Kendra) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the youth wing of the mission. There were a series of fun tasks and the youth did a tremendous job in getting everyone mentally charged and physically moving, thus preparing them for the tempo of the camp. The camp subject for adults was Adi Shankaracharyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bhaja Govindam text, which Gopalji took us through exhaustively. Amidst fun and laughter in the sessions spread out over the two days, he gave us all a deep insight into the teachings and the abundance of wisdom it carries towards directing all human beings to live an ideal life. The subject for kids was Shiva â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the eye-opener. Through stories and chanting, Gopalji instilled love and reverence in the kids towards Lord Shiva. The morning meditation sessions were an amazing experience that presented a divine sense of calmness one could experience physically and mentally. Such meditation, as part of daily routine will only help experience true bliss. The session on Conflict Resolution was a run-away success. Children were assigned to parents other than their own, to promote open two-way discussion between the adults and kids on conflicts in families and suggested solutions. The group came out with varied issues affecting families, the perspectives of kids and adults about these issues and a common concurrence on possible solutions to such issues. Other activities included role play where the groups were assigned the topic â&#x20AC;&#x153;How God has helped us in our livesâ&#x20AC;? and were asked to enact based on true experiences from their lives. Within a short span of time, all the groups came

up with commendable performances, which in addition to loads of entertainment, had intense messages for us to contemplate on. While in our busy lives, we hardly find time for thought or contemplation, a camp like this offered two full days for reflection / introspection / retrospection and was an extremely fulfilling and blissful experience. The teachers and the youth wing of the mission took turns to engage the kids in sports, yoga, arts and crafts, and stories. The ChYKS did a great job in organising the Olympics where everyone participated in some interesting games involving physical and mental challenges with team work. Another highlight of the camp was the 'Paada Pooja' that the children performed for their parents as a mark of reverence and love for them. The kids and adults alike were enthralled by the experience. It is amazing to think that everything I had studied in my book on Organisation and Management as a student, I could find naturally displayed in the two days â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Planning, Organising, Controlling, Leadership and Direction, Division of Labour, Authority and Responsibility, Equity, Order, Discipline, Time Management and Initiative. This is when we get to appreciate that such camps are not just â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;funâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;; a lot of learning comes with them too. People appre-

ciate the importance of love, respect for one another, team work, trust and comradeship in an atmosphere of togetherness. The kids had a whale of a time and did not want to return home. It was when they got cut off from the world of electronics that they began to appreciate how many productive and enjoyable things they could do on this planet. The camp instilled in them the importance of love and respect for elders and one another, discipline in life, mutual trust, time management and the joy of togetherness. I was awestruck and amazed by the tremendous amount of positive energy that kept flowing through us at all times. In a nutshell, the Chinmaya family camp was indeed an experience to cherish. So looking forward to the next one!

Do you want your business to give back to the community whilst benefitting from a focused â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;return on investmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strategy?

As part of our Socially Responsible Collective your business will benefit in many ways: t $POUSJCVUJOH UP B HSFBU DPNNVOJUZ DBVTF o IFMQJOH WVMOFSBCMF DIJMESFO t #SBOE BTTPDJBUJPO XJUI POF PG UIF XPSME T NPTU USVTUFE OPU GPS QSPmU PSHBOJTBUJPOT t 0QFO VQ B QMFUIPSB PG CVTJOFTT OFUXPSL PQQPSUVOJUJFT ww ec an a ssist y For more more information information on ho our busine ss in it orporate Social For how we can assist your business itss C Corporate ase cont act our Busine Responsibility Program, Program, ple Responsibility please contact Business Partnership ss P artnership Advisers: Adv visers : Barinder Singh M. 0407 791 027 E. barinder.singh@savethechildren.org.au

Danny Burdeu M. 0413 738 901 E. danny.burdeu@savethechildren.org.au

Photo Credits - Jim Holmes/Save the Children Australia

Save the Children Australia has established a Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) Partner Program to encourage participation and support amongst this vital corporate sector. Our mandate is to create a united coterie of businesses with a like minded sense of Corporate Social Responsibility.

STC00691

Save the Children is Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading independent emergency relief and development organisation for children. We save and protect childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. We strive to give every child a safe and happy childhood. Globally, Save the Children works in 119 countries. In Australia, we work in every state and territory with programs in more than 90 locations.

savethechildren.org.au savethechildren.org.au

12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 13

Musical Evening - a great success! rya Pratinidhi Sabha of Qld A presented a musical evening on October 13 at Finnish Hall Mt

Gravatt East. It was a memorable evening with well known artists performing to excellence. The evening which was for fundraising had good numbers in attendance. The evening started with the welcome by the President Mr Jitendra Deo, who welcomed all the artists and audience. He emphasised the importance of our Culture perseverance through music and language, and was grateful that the artists present were of brilliance, and their willingness towards such a cause is noteworthy. The artists have been in field of music for a long time and even though they come from all works of life, their common interest is music, which is one of the most important part in our lives. The entertainment and satisfaction we get from

music is peaceful, and lyrics teach us lots on things in our lives. The artists who performed were Mrs Manorma Naiker-Vocalist, Dr Vijay Prahalad - Vocalist and Tabla, Mr Yogendra Krishna Vocalist, Mr Hafeez Ali Khan -

Master of Ceremonies, Mr Rajendra Prasad - Vocalist and Tabla, Mrs Sulagna Basu Vocalist and Mr Vijendra Ray on Guitar. Sabha is grateful to these wonderful people for providing their services to us free of charge.

The audience enjoyed the programme to their hearts content. The Bhajans and Gazzals and old hits were favourites and recorded a lot of response. Such an evening is really fantastic as it gives us an opportunity to go back in our yes-

teryears and remember the songs of our times, and are still in such a demand. The Dinner was served before the programme started and Youth group organised some snack packs and Tea / Coffee for sale, and they did their bit of fundraising. Sabha is grateful to Mr & Mrs Vijendra Ray, who initiated the programme and organised the artists, and the programme. The members of Sabha had put in lot of effort to organise the evening in terms of preparing the hall, donating food items and preparing dinner. The President of the Sabha Mr Jitendra Deo on behalf of the members is thankful to the artists and the general public for coming and supporting this fundraising event. The members of the Sabha are worthy of praise for their continued effort in such a noble cause.

Launch of Interfaith in Action website Courtesy Gurjeet Bains INTERFAITH in Action Website was Launched on Sunday 28th October 2012 at a special function Organised at Aspley Uniting Church on 748 Robinson Road from 6.30pm – 8.00pm. Representatives from “The North Brisbane Interfaith Group” were interviewed by Mr Garth Read-Coordinator. Mr Surendra Prasad from Hindu Community, Gurjeet Singh Bains from Sikh Community Margaret Nylon from Catholic Community, Mano the local Priest and Mr Everald from

the Everald Compton Charitable trust were asked two Questions to which they responded in 5-6 mins. The audience were then shown four YouTube video clips. The site can now be accessed at www.interfaithinaction.org.au Under the leadership of Mr Garth Read, Coordinator North Brisbane Interfaith Group, it has now has over 70 people on its mailing list. The most significant feature of this development is that we now have a network of people

14 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

representing a wider range of religious and faith communities. Clearly the Aspley Uniting Church has been the primary loca-

www.indiantimes.com.au

tion for interfaith events with an increasing number of other communities inviting members to their special occasions.

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 15

Sachin Tendulkar - Honorary member of the Order of Australia

Maata Ka Jagran at Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple Burbank DURING the auspicious Navrati Hindus offer prayers to Durga Maa, the goddess of power (Shakti Maata). It is during this Month, Maata ki Jagran, Maata ki Chownki, Garba and Durga Paath is organised. Following Navratri is Dusshera which leads to Diwali. Mr Sansaar Sharma family, of Brisbane organised a Maata Ka Jagran at Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple. The Bhajans were sung mainly by Mr Bhim Singh, Baldev and Susma Sharma, others singers joined in as well. A large number of devotees attended the Jagran.

THE world’s leading cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was awarded an honorary Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to Australia-India relations by promoting goodwill, friendship and sportsmanship through the sport of cricket on 6 November. Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean presented the cricket great with the honour in Mumbai. “From the heart of the game in London to the streets of Mumbai and throughout the world, cricket unites people from many cultures,” Mr Crean said. “Cricket is Australia’s national game and one that we share a great love of with India. “Our two countries embrace the game like nowhere else. “Today I am proud to have this opportunity to honour a great sportsman, a great cricketer, a philanthropist, and someone

who has inspired a generation – Sachin Tendulkar. “The Prime Minister announced this honorary AM when visiting India in October. “As the first batsman in international history to score 100 hundreds earlier this year Sachin Tendulkar’s record is second to none. “Today we are honouring not just what he has done on the field of play, but also what he

has done off it. “Along with his cricketing prowess, Sachin has contributed substantially to philanthropy and supports a range of charitable causes as well as sponsoring over 200 underprivileged children each year. “He is a global ambassador and role model for cricket, for sport and for social responsibility and a worthy recipient of this honour. “Sachin becomes only the second Indian to receive this honour after Mr Soli Jehangir Sorabjee, a distinguished international jurist, lawyer and human rights advocate who twice served as India’s Attorney General. “Previously, two other cricketers, Brian Lara AM and Clive Lloyd AM, have both been bestowed this honour. “Australia is looking forward to taking on India on the pitch when we co-host the 2015 Cricket World Cup.”

Hindus welcome Australia’s plan to introduce Hindi in schools HINDUS have welcomed Australian plans to introduce Hindi in country’s schools as outlined in the recently released “Australia in the Asian Century White Paper”. Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA), termed this development as a “step in the right direction” for Australia. This White Paper states: “All Australian students will

16 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

have the opportunity, and be encouraged, to undertake a continuous course of study in an Asian language throughout their years of schooling. All students will have access to at least one priority Asian language; these will be Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian and Japanese.” Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of

www.indiantimes.com.au

Hinduism, said that in addition to Hindi; Australian schools should also make facilities available for teaching other Indian languages like Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, etc. This 312-page White Paper sets out 25 objectives to be met by 2025.

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

New resources to help deliver better care for older Australians THREE new resources were released on 31 October to help aged care workers supporting older Australians, including updated guidelines on medication management in aged care. Minister for Ageing Mark Butler said the resources would help deliver a consistent, best practice approach to medication and behaviour management in aged care. “The first of these resources is a revised edition of the Government’s guidelines on medication management in residential aged care,” Mr Butler said. “We’re also releasing two decision-making tools that offer alternatives to using restraint in community and residential settings.” “It is important that we provide staff and managers with the right skills and knowledge to ensure a safe and respectful environment for older Australians receiving care.” Mr Butler said the resources reflect the latest research and accepted better practice. “The Guiding Principles for medication management will support care managers and staff by helping them to develop, put into practice and continuously assess their policies and procedures.” “The accompanying guide outlines questions and answers that tackle some key topics in the Guiding Principles, helping residents and carers to play an active part in the safe management of medicines.” “The decision-making tools cover organisational, environmental, physical and psychosocial considerations, and set out information and practical strategies that reduce the need to consider restraint as a care option. “All of these guides will not only help to improve residents’ health, but also their quality of life.” Copies of the guidelines, decision making tools and promotional materials for service providers will be sent to all Australian Government funded residential aged care facilities over the coming weeks. All the materials will also be available on the Department’s website at www.health.gov.au

Guidelines to address the trauma of childhood abuse A NEW set of guidelines launched 29 October aims to help mental health and social service providers better understand the complex effects of trauma on adult survivors of childhood abuse. The guidelines, funded by the Federal Government and developed by Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA), were launched today in Canberra by Minister for Mental Health Mark Butler. Mr Butler said the guidelines would contribute to our understanding of the implications of childhood abuse on mental health. “Evidence presented in the guidelines indicates that complex trauma from child abuse underlies a high number of mental health problems.” “Data collected by ASCA shows that 76% of callers who spoke about the impacts of abuse said it had affected their mental health, with many grappling with suicide or substance abuse problems.” “Complex trauma, without the right support and treatment, can go beyond those who experienced it, affecting partners, families, communities and workplaces,” Mr Butler said. The launch coincides with Blue Knot Day which aims to support Australians who have suffered some form of childhood trauma. Childhood trauma can include sexual, physical and emotional abuse, chronic neglect, witnessing or experiencing family and community violence, and the effects of family dysfunction. Visit the Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA) website for more information www.asca.org.au/blueknotday For help, call ASCA's support line on 1300 657 380 or visit the website www.asca.org.au Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 17

Gillard Government talks jobs with Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Indian Community FEDERAL Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten and Member for Greenway Michelle Rowland met with Indian community leaders in Sydney on 16 October to discuss the successes and challenges of Indian-Australians in getting good jobs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While many of the Indian community may be doing well and have great jobs and running successful and innovative businesses, there are some who are not,â&#x20AC;? Minister Shorten said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some jobseekers are unable to find work because of the barriers they face, such as lack of Australian work experience, difficulties with recognition of skills, qualifications and experience. Others are in jobs that do not reflect their skills or qualifications.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are nearly 1344 job seekers in Sydney who were born in India, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting is about making sure the Australian Government is going everything it can to

Under Labor, Job Services Australia providers have made around 1.25 million job placements, a record performance when compared to the former job support network administered by the Liberal Howard government. Despite this, Labor knows that our employment system can not only be strengthened, but tailored for migrant communities who may face additional barriers to find work. These barriers can include a lack of Australian work experience, recognition of prior skills and discrimination.

help these jobseekers find a great job.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Government is keen to work with the Indian community is addressing whatever barriers may exist for jobseekers, as well as learn from the community about what successes there are.â&#x20AC;?

Iran warns of reaction to tough oil sanctions TEHRAN, Nov 5 (IANS) Iran has warned of reaction to the West's possible tougher sanctions on the country's oil industry, Xinhua reported. Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said the Islamic republic would react to the West's possible tougher sanctions on the country's oil industry, reported IRNA news agency. "The lack of Iran's oil in international markets would lead to an increase in its global price," Qasemi said, adding that in that case people in consuming countries will suffer. Iran will reconsider its oil exports, implying that the country may stop or reduce its crude exports to the international market, the oil minister said. Qasemi pointed out that despite the

Since coming to government in November 2007, Labor has invested $5.9 billion in Job Services Australia and continues to ensure that all Australians, whether born in Australia or overseas, have the support that they need to find work.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;For these reasons we are eager to consult widely with migrant communities to see what assistance can be provided to help support individuals into the Australian job market. This includes additional workplace inclusion programs, cultural awareness, training and coaching in interview techniques,â&#x20AC;? Mr Shorten said.

Tata Steel unveils new product targeted at SMEs

tough sanctions by the West, Iran's oil industry has "successfully" overcome problems and made remarkable progress. He said that his country had plans to increase the production of alternative energy like solar energy, wind energy and bio-fuels to reduce the usage of its own oil and gas reserves for internal purposes. The European Union (EU) decided last month to enforce fresh sanctions against Iran, including a ban on the import of natural gas from Iran to the EU. It also agreed to broaden the existing export ban on key equipment and entities for Iranian oil, gas and petrochemical industries. The EU imposed an embargo on Iran's oil export July 1.

NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (IANS) Tata Steel Monday unveiled a new brand of its hot rolled products called "Tata Astrum" to meet demands in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This is the first time that the company has made a foray into branding of hot rolled products in the SME segment. "With the launch of Tata Astrum, Tata Steel is offering convenience to its customers through consistent availability of ready-to-use quality hot rolled products," T. V. Narendran, vice president, safety and flat products, Tata Steel, said at a press conference. Narendran said the company target to sell over one million

tonnes of the new brand product in 2013-14 and increase it to two million tonnes in the next year. In 2013-14, Tata Steel targets nearly Rs.4,000 crore revenue from this segment. Tata Astrum hot rolled coils and sheets will be produced from two of Tata Steel's mills at Jamshedpur and will be available in the 1.6 mm to 16 mm thickness range. Customers will be served through Tata Steel's authorised distributors. A total of 42 such distributors have been appointed across the country, Narendran said. Each distributor will have a tieup with service centres that will

be certified by Tata Steel for quality products. The material will be supplied to customers in processed form out of the service centres, he said. The new product range will be used in automotive, earth moving equipment, railways, fabrication, construction and industrial machinery segments. The size of the domestic market for hot rolled products in the SME segment is pegged at 6 million tonnes per annum. Tata Astrum hopes to garner a market share of 17-18 per cent in this segment in 2013-014. This is expected to generate revenue of approximately Rs.4,000 crore for the company.

5(633 (&&7 08/7,&8/785$/ )DPLO\ 0HQWDO +HDOWK 6XSSRUW 6HUYLFHV

The Vaishnav Sangh of Queensland Presents

7KH 0HQWDO +HDOWK )LUVW $LG 0+)$ FRXUVH DLPV WR LQFUHDVH NQRZOHGJH DQG VNLOOV RQ WKH HDUO\ LGHQWLILFDWLRQ RI WKH PRVW FRPPRQ PHQWDO KHDOWK SUREOHPV LQ WKH $XVWUDOLDQ DGXOW SRSXODWLRQ DQ[LHW\ GHSUHVVLRQ DQG VXEVWDQFH XVH GLVRUGHU DQG RQH RI WKH PRVW XQFRPPRQ LOOQHVVHV Â˛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

'DWHV DQG 'HFHPEHU DWWHQGDQFH RQ ERWK GD\V LV FRPS SXOVRU\

7LPHV DP WR SP

7KH 4XHHQVODQG 7UDQVFXOWXUDO 0HQWDO +HDOWK &HQWUH 470+& LV DQ LQIRUPDWLRQ UHIHUUDO UHVRXUFH DQG FOLQLFDO FRQVXOWDWLRQ VHUYLFH SUR YLGHG E\ WKH 4XHHQVODQG *RYHUQPHQW 470+& LV D VWDWH-ZLGH VHU YLFH 6HUYLFHV DUH SURYLGHG IUHH RI FKDUJH

18 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

With the devine blessings of Vaishnavacharya Shree Dwarkeshlalji Mahodayshri (Ahmedabad), The Vaishnav Sangh of Queensland would like to invite you and your family to celebrate the Annakut Utsav at: Yeronga State High School 159 Villa Street Yeronga QLD 4104 Date:- Saturday 17th November 2012 Time: 4.00 - 6:00 pm including Aarti and Mahaprasad For further information, Sponsorship, and Volunteering Please contact any of the event organisers

Dr Nilesh Parmar Ankur Shah Chetan Shah

www.indiantimes.com.au

3341 7372

0411 836 575 0404 255 458 0434 019 641

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 19

Mauritius, the PIO Capital Hosts sixth regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas LUSH green scenery, white Identity and language with the sandy beaches and calm Fiji perspective" it was deep blue sea, a trilogy requirement that content for heaven on earth. be a lived experience This best describes and viewpoint. Mauritius, the Umesh has been much sort after studying and tourist destination. researching the This tourist haven, Indian Diaspora, also known at the P this quest of I O (People of Diaspora studies has Indian Origin) capital, seen him visiting South was chosen to host the Africa, Malaysia, sixth regional Pravasi Thailand, Mauritius, New Bharitiya Divas. Zealand, England, USA, The successful event • Umesh Chandra on behalf of GOPIO Fiji. Significant events was held on 27-28 International presented a shawl of include hundred years celOctober 2012 at the honour to the President of Mauritius at ebration of Indentured Mahatma Gandhi the valedictory dinner. labourers in Fiji. One hunInstitute (MGI) in Moka. dred and fifty year celeWelcoming delegates to Mauritius, the bration on arrival of Indians in South Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Choonee, Africa, the function was held in Durban. pointed out that it was an honour for The inauguration of Girmit memorial in Mauritius to be hosting the event. Calcutta, a historic moment when the monA mini or regional PBD is a regular annu- ument was unveiled on the Kiddorepore al conference held outside India as an over- wharf on River Hoogley, the very place seas Diaspora meeting every calendar year. were indentured labourers boarded the ships It has been held successively in New York, for their respective countries. Visiting the Singapore, the Hague, Durban and Toronto Apravasi Ghat the world heritage site of the since 2007. first landing in Mauritius. As a panellist on The concept of the mini PBD is based on one of the sessions at Mauritian regional requests received over the years from vari- PBD, Umesh spoke on " the contemporary ous countries to organize such meeting out- and future relationship of India with its side India and allow the Indian Diaspora to Diaspora". benefit from the interaction. Delegates at the sixth regional PBD had The PBD is a platform for discussing cul- come from all around the world, from the tural and socioeconomic issues concerning Oceania region, Umesh Chandra, Robin and the Indian Diaspora and is an annual event Amitha Jagessar represented GOPIO held every year in January in India. It is Queensland, while Pradeep and Suman organized by the Ministry of Overseas Kapoor represented GOPIO Waikato, New Indian Affairs, Government of India, and Zealand. Minister for Overseas Indian aims at integrating the expertise of the Affairs, Vayalar Ravi, Manoj Kumar-Joint Indian overseas community with the devel- Secretary Diaspora services, Tourism opment processes of India. It is believed Minister for Bihar, Sushil Kumar and that the PBD has played a significant role in Bhojpuri actor and producer Ravi Kishen furthering the commitment of the Diaspora Shukla formed the official Indian towards India. Government delegation. GOPIO International, GOPIO Mauritius, With demands for affordable education of MOIA, and the Government of Mauritius overseas Indians growing, India has revived worked hand in hand to make the sixth the idea of a university to cater to this need, regional PBD a astounding success. The with Overseas Indian Affairs Minister events included a business roundtable on Vayalar Ravi giving a pledge at the mini Indo Mauritian trade relation. A tribute to Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in the legendary Bollywood actor, Rajesh Mauritius. Khanna concert was held at Sri Vivek Though the contours of the university, its Ananda Auditorium. The concert featured courses and structure is to be worked out, Sudesh Bhonsle as the main artist support- Ravi said that the institution may have ed by a full live band, Annu Kapoor a pop- affiliate colleges across the world, so as to ular Bollywood personality was the anchor enable the children of non-resident Indians for the program. Bhojpuri mega star Ravi (NRIs) to get education at an affordable Kishen Shukla addressed the cheering cost. Audience, he was not part of the show, he “We announced an NRI University at the was a speaker at one of the sessions. mini PBD (in Mauritius), and we decided to An academic conclave on Indian Diaspora establish the university in India,” Ravi said. called for papers on various topics, Umesh The idea of an NRI university, which was to Chandra of GOPIO Queensland presented a be set up in Bangalore three years ago, had well researched paper on "maintaining run into rough weather after a case against 20 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

• GOPIO International executives meet at Intercontinental Resort in Mauritius.

• From Left: Brisbane delegates Amitha Jaggesar, Robin Jaggesar, Umesh Chandra with Mauritian Minister for Arts / Culture Mookeswer Choonee,Michel Narayansamy, Dasarath Chetty & Rita Abraham at the pre Rajesh Khanna Tribute Show.

its establishment was filed in a court. “We had decided to establish it in Bangalore. But it has been postponed,” he said, referring to the court case. To ensure that the new university plan does not get into trouble, Ravi said the ministry wanted it to be established under Indian laws. “Now my task is to establish the NRI university — meant largely for overseas Indian students — to work under the rules and regulations of the Indian laws. I don’t want someone to go to court again. We had to stop earlier because somebody went to court. I do not want that to happen.” Though the university will be for NRIs, only 50 percent of the seats will be reserved for them. The rest will be filled up by resident Indians, he said. The following GOPIO International officials attended a series of high profile meetings; • Mahen Uttachana (Mauritius) • Lord Diljit Rana (Northern Ireland) • Chancal Chowdhry (United Kingdom) • Umesh Chandra (Australia) • Dasarath Chetty (South Africa) • Michel Narayansamy (Guandelope)

www.indiantimes.com.au

The first meeting was with Indian High commissioner for Mauritius, His Excellency T.P. Seetharam, who hosted the officials in his chambers, fruitful discussions main and regional PBDs took place. The second meeting was with Manoj Kumar, joint secretary MOIA Diaspora services, officials discussed the representation at PBDs and also put forward their proposal of an annual cricket event during PBD to attract the youth. The third meeting was a lunch with Minister for Arts and Culture, Mukessswur Choonee, Manoj Kumar of MOIA also joined in the lunch, and the deliberation on forthcoming PBD in Kochi took place. The fourth and quite a significant meeting was with the President of Mauritius, Rajkeswur Purrag at The Château of Réduit, the state house. The president met the officials in the famous presidential chambers, and discussed in depth the situations and concerns of people of Indian origin in their respective countries. GOPIO officials were impressed by extensive knowledge the President had on various countries. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Halal @MOD @?

DECEMBER DEADLINE FOR BOOKINGS - 30 NOVEMBER JANUARY 2013 DEADLINE FOR BOOKINGS - 7 JANUARY 13

SATELLITE E DISTR DIST TR RIB IBUTO ORS

SALE!! SALE!!

Self Ins nsttallation Kit For Dish Dish TV Channels

EX XTRA $80 UPG PG GRADE TO ME MEPG4 SATE ELL LITE RECE EIV VER

Provide fix dish i , motorize dish, KU dish s and TV antenna installlation service for all Indian free satelllite TV channells. Wholesale and rettail Ku diissh, C C--band mesh dish, TV antenna, satellitee decoder er, digital TV box. Address: 2 / 1 Stockwell Place Archerfield QLD 4108 Tel: 07-32555211 Fax:07-32555126 Mobile:0433275763 Email: sales@joysat.com.au Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm Web: www.joysat.com.au 1:00pm Sat:9:00am-1: Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

T. 07 3420 5570 M. 0438 105 640 E. services@remox.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 21

River Saraswati: where lies the mystery From Dhaval Vyas Ahmedabad. India Continued from last issue... WE will see some of the Rig Vedic shlokas on the river Saraswati which will give us some idea about how the river was in its hay days. 1."maho arnah sarasvati pra cetayati ketuna dhiyo visva virajati" means sarasvati like a great ocean appears with her ray, and she rules all inspirations. 2."ni tva dadhe vara a prthivya ilayspade sudinatve ahnam; Drsadvaty am manuse apayayam sarasvatyamrevad agne didhi" Means we set you down, oh sacred fire at the most holy place on earth, in the land of Ila, in the clear brightness of the day. On the drishadvati, the apaya and the Sarasvati river, shine out brilliantly for men. 3."ayasi puh visva apo mahina sindhur anyah,sucir yati girbhya a samudrat" means sarasvati is like a bronze city surpassing all other rivers and waters, pure in her course from the mountain to the sea. From this one thing is for certain that the honor of the greatest and the holiest of the rivers was not bestowed to Ganga but upon Saraswati, in fact the name of Ganga appears only once in the Rig Vedas. Saraswati features about sixty times. The hymns in Rig veda also describes the lives of people residing in the Saraswati valley and there are many Indian literature that contains references of many places of learning all along the banks of this mighty river. Therefore in Rg veda, which is the earlier part of the vedic literature we see that the river has been immortalised by the very sholka "ambitame naditame devitame saraswati" because this was the very river which nurtured the people who lived along the banks of this river and supported a very vibrant intellectual society with its places of learning, having their own resident scholars sages and seers. It is highly possible then that the very vedas were written, at least the Rg veda, along the banks of this river. But the later part of the vedic literature, to be more precise the Mahabharat, refers to the saraswati as the dying river. It describes balarams pilgrimage from Dwarka to Mathura along the drying river. There are references to balaram"s visit to various rishi ashrams along the banks of the once great river but dying at the time of the Mahabharat. There were references to large fissures and fault in the ground of the dry bed of the river Saraswati. This has been

confirmed by Landsat imagery which has found large numbers of fissures and faults in the earthquake prone Northwest India that constituted the saraswati-Sindhu Valley. Such ground faults caused the seepage of water of the Saraswati into underground channels thus referring to the Saraswati as the dying river. More than 1400 sites have been discovered of the IVC. Most of these sites are on the Indian territory and only a few about One third are on the Pakistan side. Important among them is the site at Guneriwala in Pakistan. Manda in J&K, Ropar in Punjab, Banawali and Rakhigarhi in Hariyana, Alamgirpur near Meerut, Kalibangan in Rajasthan, Lothal, Dholavira, and Surkotada in Gujrat and Daimabad in Maharashtra. When these are plotted along the map these sites seem to crowd along the dry bed of the river Ghagger in Punjab Hariyana, and Rajasthan and river Hakra and Nara in Bhawalpur and Sindh in Pakistan and ending in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. Ghaggar is the same river which is called the Hakra when it enters Bhawalpur in Pakistan and continues as Nara in the Sindh Province. In a book "Sarasvati: Legend or History" has described the find in details. The demise of the Saraswati, was near fatal to the people and civilization thriving on the banks of the river. The scarcity of water forced the people to migrate. SaraswatiSindhu civilization did not vanish but there was shift of population after the economy around the river collapsed. The civilization moved to the east to the Ganga Yamuna Plains, west northwest and south to Godavari plains. The Mittani and the kassites are probably the Saraswati civilization of west . They also worship vedic gods. At lothal site a huge dock capable of handling ocean going and river navigable ships have been excavated. Also dough nut shaped anchors have been found at this site and other sites indicating internal and external maritime trade and also that rivers were used to navigate large ships to and from sea. Therefore the river used for this purpose have to be huge and should be perennial and should have the capacity to displace a huge quantity of water. Saraswati was a similar type of river. This river was more than seven kilometer wide. In 1980 the palaeo channels of Saraswati was discovered by Professor Yashpal using landsat imagery. Continued next issue....

Jaipur Literature Festival to focus on Indian writing NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (IANS) Writers from India and abroad will meet at the sixth Jaipur Literature Festival at Diggi Palace in Jaipur Jan 24-28 for five days to discuss literature. The festival will also highlight Indian language writing to explore transitions in literary ethos. Announcing the festival, the organisers in a statement said a host of writers has confirmed their participation. These include Ambai, Benyamin, Bhalchandra Nemade, Diana Eck, Elizabeth Gilbert, Hisham Matar, Homi Bhabha, Javed Akhtar, Kancha Ilaiah, Kunwar Narain, Linda Grant, Madeline Miller, Michael Sandel, Michel Houellebecq, Nadeem Aslam, Neelesh Mishra, Orlando Figes, Pico Iyer, Reza Aslan and Simon Armitage. Described as the mecca of literature, the festival on an average has nearly 57,000 visitors each day and drew more than 122,000 people in 2012, the organisers said. This year too the festival will showcase diversity of writing in over 16 Indian languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Rajasthani, Tamil, Telugu, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Punjabi, Bangla, Malayalam, Gujarati, Sindhi, Kannada and Kashmiri. A special emphasis will be on the transition of Maithili and Bhojpuri literature from the traditional to the contemporary. A session, "Remembering Sunil Da", will pay tributes to noted Bengali writer, late Sunil Gangopadhyay, who had before his

death agreed to attend the festival in 2013. The sessions will also look into Russian literature, Jewish novel, William Shakespeare, Rudyard Kipling, cricket writing, the New Africa, Iran, and writings on contemporary art. Sessions on the Buddha will comprise aspects of literature, aesthetics, philosophy and social issues with discussions by writers and practitioners like Ranjini Obeyesekere, Ani Choying, Benoy K. Behl and Kancha Ilaiah. Co-director of the festival Namita Gokhale said: "This January, the magical banyan tree of the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival will once again spread its branches and extend it roots, to celebrate the tradition of books, dialogue and creativity." Festival co-director and author William Dalrymple said: "The international list at Jaipur this year is one of unprecedented depth and range, with our most cerebral and intellectually formidable group of writers yet. These include a galaxy of Booker, Pulitzer, Orange, Crossword and Samuel Johnson prize-winners and some of the most important thinkers and critics of our time." He said a series of intellectually-stimulating sessions will include discussions on "Stalin vs. Mao", "Freedom of Speech", "The Middle East", "The Future of Afghanistan", "Empire", "Yoga", the "18th Century Sexual Revolution", "Depression", "Gandhi Re-examined", "Ethics", "Ashoka" and "Breakout Nations".

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 6 (IANS) Apple announced that it sold three million iPad mini and fourth generation iPad when the products went on sale this weekend. Apple didn't disclose how many of the three-million sales were for the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad. CEO Tim Cook said the smaller iPad were almost sold out. "Customers around the world love the new iPad mini and fourth generation iPad," Xinhua quoted him as saying. "We set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis. We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand," Cook said in a statement. Demand for iPad mini exceeded the initial supply and while many of the pre-orders

have been shipped to customers, some are scheduled to be shipped later this month. The iPad mini and fourth generation iPad went on sale Friday. Some analysts expected iPad mini to eat into the sales of fullsized iPad. It estimated at least two-thirds of the threemillion iPads Apple sold are iPad minis. Market research company IDC said Monday that Apple's tablet market share slip notably in the third quarter as consumers were in anticipation of the announcement of iPad mini.

Apple sells three million iPads over weekend

IDC said Apple is expected to have a good holiday quarter, but iPad mini's relatively high starting price of $will leave plenty of room for its competitors.

>HU[ [V Ă&#x201E;NO[ NSVIHS WV]LY[` ^P[OV\[ NVPUN V]LYZLHZ&

12341516789143:6 1234151678914 ;<=6>11?6;<@ 6 6 <@91A"6 <@91A @91A"66 ()&$*+&,(-".(%"/& 0"&&#')&")1&(. & 1&(.2& & .2&

1*2+*3$%%456#37%+3/%00865,-30*0&*+937+ *3$%%456#37%+3/%00865,-30*0&*+937+%03'$$3!'$493%73$57*3!:%3 *3$%%456#37%+3/%00865,-30*0&*+937+%03'$$3!'$493%73$57*3!:%3 '+*3('995%6 '+ *3('995%6 3 ',*3'&%8,3,'/4$56#3#$%& 3 3 3 '$356.89,5/*"31 '$356.89,5/* 3 331* 31*2$$3#5)*3-%83 *2$$3#5)*3-%83 $$3#5)*3-%83 3 3-%83 ,+'5656#;3'6<3+ ,+'5656#;3'6<3+*9%8+/*93,%3+'59*3'!'+ /*93,%3+'59*3'!'+*6*993563-%8+3/%00865,*6*993563-%8+3/%00865,-;3'6<3 &85$<398((%+,37%+3,:*3&8956*993'6<3(%$5,5/'$3'/,5%636**<*<3,%3*6<3 *=,+*0*3(%)*+,*0*3(%)*+,-" >5#638(3,%<'>5#638(3,%<'-"""

!!!"#$%&'$(%)*+,-(+ "#$%&'$(%)*+,-(+%.*/,"/%0 %.*/,"/%0

22 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

WIN A DOUBLE PASS to Ship of Theseus THIS debut feature from acclaimed playwright Anand Gandhi takes a look at notions of identity and consequence. Following the lives of three seemingly unconnected characters through Mumbai, Ghandi presents a strikingly ambitious work set in the heart of contemporary India. Mr Gandhi will present his film screening SUN 18 Nov at Barracks cinema and FRI

www.indiantimes.com.au

23 Nov at Tribal. To win a double pass to see Ship of Theseus on Friday 23 November, simply be the first to email admin@indiantimes.com.au with the answer to the following question; Ship of Theseus is the debut feature from which accaimed playwright? Entry to be received by 16 November, winner will be notified via email. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 23

Business News Australia in the Asian Century White Paper: Australia’s roadmap for navigating the Asian Century PRIME Minister Julia Gillard 28 October released the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, a roadmap showing how Australia can be a winner in the Asian century. The White Paper lays out an ambitious plan to ensure Australia will emerge stronger over the decades ahead, by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the Asian century. In this century, the region in which we live will become home to most of the world’s middle class and will be the world’s largest producer of goods and services, and the largest consumer of them. The scale and pace of Asia’s rise is staggering, and there are significant opportunities and challenges for all Australians. It is not enough to rely on luck— our future will be determined by the choices we make and how we engage with the region we live in. We must build on our strengths and take active steps to shape our future. The White Paper sets out a number of targets for our country over the next 13 years to 2025 to ensure Australia can fulfil its ambitions and compete effectively within Asia, including:

• By 2025, Australia’s GDP per person will be in the world’s top 10, up from 13th in 2011, requiring a lift in our productivity. • This will mean Australia’s average real national income will be about $73,000 per person in 2025 compared with about $62,000 in 2012. • By 2025, our school system will be in the top five in the world, and 10 of our universities in the world’s top 100. • Globally we will be ranked in the top 5 countries for ease of doing business and our innovation system will be in the world’s top 10. • Studies of Asia will be a core part of the Australian school curriculum. • All students will have continuous access to a priority Asian language—Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian and Japanese. • Our leaders will be more Asia literate, with one-third of board members of Australia’s top 200 publicly listed companies and Commonwealth bodies having deep experience in and knowledge of Asia. • Our economy will be deeply integrated; our trade links with Asia will be at least one-third of GDP, up from one-quarter today.

General Motors launches premium hatchback Sail U-VA NEW DELHI, Nov 2 (IANS) American automobile giant General Motors launched its premium hatchback Chevrolet Sail U-VA's petrol and diesel variants The launched variants are priced between Rs.4.44 lakh and Rs.6.62 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). "Sail U-VA hatchback is an important addition to GM's small car portfolio in India," said Lowell Paddock, president and managing director, General Motors India. Sail will compete with likes of Maruti Suzuki's Swift and Hyundai Motor's i20, Toyota's Liva, Volkswagen's Polo and Honda Brio. The new hatchback is Rs.25,000 to Rs.40,000 cheaper than Swift. The petrol variant is powered by a 1.2 litre engine and is priced between Rs.4.44 lakh and Rs.5.58 lakh. The diesel variant is powered by a 1.3 litre 'Smartech' diesel engine and is priced between Rs.5.87 lakh and Rs.6.62 lakh. The diesel variant runs 22.1 km per litre, and the petrol-powered vehicle gives a mileage of 18.2 km per litre.

South Korea shuts two n-reactors SEOUL, Nov 5 (IANS) South Korea has shut down two nuclear reactors after it found that their components were provided false quality certificates, the government said. The two reactors at the Yeonggwang nuclear power plant in the southwest were closed until the end of this year to have their parts replaced, reported Xinhua. "We deeply regret that such an incident took place, but again I point out that this has no direct link to the safety of nuclear reactors," Knowledge Economy Minister Hong Suk-Woo said. "Comprehensive safety check-ups are necessary at these two reactors where the unqualified parts were used extensively," Hong said. South Korea operates 23 nuclear reactors, generating about 30 percent of its total electricity. It plans to build 16 more reactors by 2030.

• Our diplomatic network will have a larger footprint across Asia supporting stronger, deeper and broader links with Asian nations. The White Paper sets out a comprehensive agenda for making the most of the opportunities ahead. It considers how Australia will successfully navigate the years ahead across five areas: strengthening our economy; building our capabilities; connecting to growing markets; ensuring sustainable security; and nurturing deeper and broader relationships. It sets out what actions can be taken by governments, and also calls on businesses and communities to play their part in shaping our future. By 2025, this means real change for Australians. Children in kindergarten now will graduate from high school with a sound working knowledge of Asia because, throughout their schooling, the curriculum will have included studies relevant to Asia and access to a priority Asian language. Work and holiday agreements between Australia and its neighbours in Asia will mean more opportunity for work and study in the region and to take up professional opportunities as they

emerge. The financial markets will be better integrated and capital will flow more easily across borders for investment, innovation and jobs growth. Global and regional value chains will be broader and deeper across the region—with opportunities for both small and large businesses. Explosion in demand for highquality agricultural products will mean opportunities for our farmers and regional Australia. More tourists from nations in Asia will choose Australia as a holiday destination and more students from the region will study here in more advanced universities. The National Broadband Network will reach across Australia giving access to the furthest corners of the region. Australia will have more comprehensive diplomatic ties with key regional nations—China, India, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea—and will have expanded them with many others, from Mongolia to Vietnam and beyond. Australia comes to these challenges with firm foundations: a strong economy, a track record of engagement in the region, and the person-to-person connections

many Australians already have with people in Asian countries. The White Paper calls on all of us to play our part in becoming a more Asia-literate and Asia-capable nation. The Australian Government will play its part in leading our nation to this vision of the future during a time of enormous change. Like past Labor governments, we will manage and shape change with the aim of providing better opportunities for all. To support the implementation of this ambitious plan for the future, Craig Emerson, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, will take on the responsibility for assisting the Prime Minister to deliver on the objectives of the White Paper. His new responsibilities, as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Asian Century Policy, will complement his existing portfolio responsibilities. Prime Minister Gillard thanked each of the White Paper Task Force and Advisory Panel members, and those organisations and individuals who contributed to the White Paper consultation process, both in Australia and overseas, as she asked for the broader community to consider their part in shaping a shared future.

India-South Korea ink business agreement of $1.1 billion SEOUL, Nov 3 (IANS) India and South Korea have signed an agreement to provide $1.1 billion worth of financial support to step up business cooperation. The agreement was signed after talks between Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and South Korea's Minister of Strategy and Finance Jaewan Bahk on Friday 2 November, Yonhap news agency reported. Friday's meeting was the third bilateral

one between the two countries. The first meeting of finance ministers was held in Seoul in September 2006 and the second in New Delhi in January 2011. The two countries have signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) that covers all areas of bilateral relations, including defence, science and technology and cultural exchange. The two sides reviewed the macro-eco-

Will fight graft in Goa's mining sector, says Anna Hazare PANAJI, Nov 5 (IANS) Fighting graft in Goa's mining sector would be one of the major thrust areas in the fight against corruption, Anna Hazare said. Hazare, who is in Goa to address a public rally, also told reporters here that the mining sector accounted for a huge chunk of black money being generated in the country. "Corruption in India's mining sector is huge and needs to be handled properly. It accounts for a big portion of the black money system in India," Hazare said. The Supreme Court has banned mining in Goa after irregularities to the tune of Rs.35,000 crore were detected by an inquiry commission headed by Justice M.B. Shah, a retired apex court judge. "I know you have gone through hardships. I know how difficult it has been to fight the corrupt and oppressive mining lobby. That is why I will make the fight against it one of my thrust areas in my campaign against corruption," Hazare said. The activist also said that mining cannot be carried out at the cost of environment and nature. "We simply cannot afford to ignore the nature anymore. If destruction of nature continues at rapid pace, we too will be destroyed soon," Hazare said.

24 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

nomic trends and outlook, and measures to increase investment opportunities in the two countries. On the table was co-financing infrastructure projects, public procurement, revision of the double taxation avoidance convention (DTAC), sharing of information between taxation authorities and modernisation of customs system of both nations.

New Zealand unveils infrastructure vision WELLINGTON, Nov 1 (IANS) The New Zealand government laid out its infrastructure building programme, involving plans to rebuild the earthquake-battered city of Christchurch and initiatives to support business growth. The "Building Infrastructure" report, covering one of the six areas of the government's business growth agenda, set out 67 infrastructure initiatives, including recruiting 900 workers to reconstruct infrastructure facilities in the city and surrounding Canterbury region, reported Xinhua. "For businesses to invest in plant and facilities in New Zealand, they need to be confident that they will have access to infrastructure that supports their businesses transport, energy, water and telecommunications," Finance Minister Bill English said in a statement. The investments listed in the report included 5.5 billion NZ dollars ($4.52 billion) for the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Fund; 1.6 billion NZ dollars for ultra-fast broadband and faster rural broadband; 5 billion NZ dollars for the national electricity grid; and 12.2 billion NZ dollars for roads between 2012 and 2015.

www.indiantimes.com.au

The report set out a vision of resilient and coordinated infrastructure that contributed to economic growth and increased quality of life by 2030. "Resilient, efficient and coordinated infrastructure networks are vital to a well-running economy. They help the movement of people, goods and information around our country and around our world," English said. Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said the region's infrastructure repair was a huge task and the training of workers for the job over the next five years would benefit the national economy. "Roughly 1,020 km of road will need rebuilding, which is half of the city's urban sealed roads," he said. Business lobby group Business New Zealand welcomed the report, with chief executive Phil O'Reilly saying appropriate infrastructure investment would bring more certainty for business and promote more private sector business investment. "Infrastructure assets are expensive and long-lasting, and if well planned and coordinated bring confidence for enterprise," O' Reilly said in a statement. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 25

Business News Why you need a business plan REMOX celebrates 5 years While conducting audits, I stages of growth. often find that the company 7. Allows you to examine does not have a current busi“what-if” scenarios and ness plan. The Board may create back-up plans have discussed some future Vivek Chopra should your “Plan A” business expansion aspects, turn out differently than but these have not been documented in the you expected. company’s business plan, either. 8. A solid business plan will help you to I believe a business plan is like a blueprint attract financiers and potential investors to for a house. Starting to construct a home your business. without a plan is dangerous, costly and An ideal business plan should contain the most likely will end in disappointment. A following: business, unlike a house, is not static and 1. An executive summary in relation to the therefore the business plan should continu- major aspects of your business plan. ally change over time as the business devel- 2. Details about your business and your ops and expands. start up or expansion plans. A business plan should help the business 3. What products or services you offer. You in the following ways: must mention as to why buyers purchase 1. A business plan will provide you with a those products and services and what bene360 degree view of your business, allowing fits they get. you to examine its viability and potential 4. What are the costs of delivering the for growth and success. above products and services? 2. A business plan is powerful tool for 5. What is your target market and describe ensuring that the management team are your industry and your immediate competicommitted to a common set of goals. tion. 3. A business plan is an excellent method of 6. What is your strategy in relation to the communicating your vision, mission, val- above and how will you implement this ues and goals to the stakeholders that will strategy. help you launch and grow your business – 7. Who are your key management team suppliers, partners, customers, employees members and how will they monitor the and board members. smooth functioning of the business plan. 4. It helps businesses gain a more thorough 8. Financial projections in the form of understanding of the opportunities and future cash flows and if possible include a challenges in their market and industry, and break even analysis which specifies risks as craft strategies and tactics that will directly a matter of fixed versus variable costs. respond to customer needs. 9. A risk management strategy to identify 5. Every business has competition, and ulti- risks that may develop and strategies to mately the success of the business will be minimise those impacts. determined by how you set your business Developing a business plan takes time. apart from that of your competitors. This That time is an investment in your success valuable competitive insight enables you to and provides confidence and direction to differentiate your products, services and the business, its investors and financiers. value proposition. The business plan is something worth 6. A well thought through business plan doing, and therefore worth doing well. will lay out a comprehensive strategy and If you wish to discuss your business and time-line for implementation of specific the planning process, please contact Vivek actions needed in the early and emerging Chopra on 07 3218 3900 or 07 3218 3034.

World Bank gives Australian job Tajikistan $38 mn DUSHANBE, Nov 4 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The World Bank will give Tajikistan $38 million in two grants to plug budget gaps and help improve the tax system. The $20 million is part of a series of grants issued to Tajikistan since 2009 to help cushion the impact of the global economic crisis, facilitate sustainable growth and reduce poverty, the bank said in a press release. The lender said this grant will allow public spending on healthcare, education and social support to continue at current levels and help deliver better conditions for the development of the private sector. The second grant, for $18 million, is to be spent on improving the tax system. The project's aim is to achieve transparency over taxation, cut the expenses involved, improve the quality of services offered, and crack down on the shadow economy. The tax system reform project was developed under the strategic partnership for 2010-2013 between the World Bank and Tajikistan. The World Bank currently has a portfolio of 14 projects worth a total $236 million in Tajikistan, with most being in the hydropower sector.

advertising falls SYDNEY, Nov 5 (IANS) Australia's job advertising has continued to decline in October, a survey released Monday 5 November by ANZ Bank showed. The survey showed the number of job advertisements on the internet and in newspapers declined 4.6 percent in October, following a drop of 3.9 percent in September, reported Xinhua. This was the seventh consecutive monthly decline, the bank said. Job advertisements are now 15 percent below the levels recorded a year ago, at the lowest level since January 2010. The number of job advertisements in newspaper fell 4.1 percent in October, while internet job advertisements fell 4.6 percent after falling 3.9 percent in September. ANZ head of Australian Economics and Property Research Ivan Colhoun said newspaper advertising had been particularly weak, falling 26.9 percent year-on-year, compared with a 14.4 percent fall for online advertising.

ON 28th October 2012, Remittances and Money Exchange Pty Ltd Celebrated its completion of 5 years in customer service, it was more a pause, look back and remember the road tough and smooth, bottle necks past through and privileges enjoyed. Ramanathan Karuppiah, Managing Director during his presentation for staff, management, family, friends and well-wishers highlighted each individual and corporation contributed to its existence and progress with heartfelt gratitude. This function was held with a lunch at the Logan City Council Community Hall at Underwood Road, Priestdale attended by more than 200 wellwishers. REMOX, a chain of offices providing

Foreign Currency Exchange, International Remittances through SWIFT transfers and Cash pickup services under its Super Agency arrangement with MoneyGram International, progressed from a single location to 5 locations between Brisbane and Darwin. Progressed from serving to 700 registered customers to 12000 registered customers by the end of 2012. “This occasion to look back will give us the tremendous strength in planning the future of this organization and extract the juice of strength and preserving for its expansion process, the formula for this success seems to be our low material expectation” Said Ram.

Essential business finance information to help Australian business owners ustralian business owners can build A their financial knowledge using a free online resource developed by the

Gillard Government. The new Business Finances topic, available on the business.gov.au website, includes practical information on managing and seeking finance and was developed in conjunction with business and finance experts. Minister for Small Business Brendan O’Connor said the resource is about giving business owners the skills to take a leading role in managing their finances. “Many small business owners are terrific at their trade or profession but don’t have the same skills when it comes to running a business,” Mr O’Connor said. “Managing business finances can be a complex and overwhelming task for any business owner. “This new resource will give our small business owners the tools they need to deal with experts such as banks, lenders and accountants with confidence. “They’ll get essential business finance information in an easy-to-read, online format, with a handy glossary of complex financial terminology. “While professional help is strongly encouraged, it’s essential that business owners have a good understanding of their financial affairs because ultimately it’s their own business that’s at stake.” The Business Finances topic provides

information on a range of common finance issues, including setting up a bookkeeping system, preparing financial reports and applying for finance. Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation, Senator Kate Lundy, said business.gov.au is leading the way in delivering online services to support Australian businesses. “Having this information available online ensures business owners have the ability to develop their financial knowledge at a time and pace that suits them,” Senator Lundy said. “The new Business Finance topic complements business.gov.au’s growing online library of business topics. “Business owners can also access other free online resources on business.gov.au, including a new suite of business planning iPad apps and search tools that make it easier to find government support.” The business.gov.au website brings together information from all levels of government to help start, run and grow Australian businesses. It is managed by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education with the support of state and territory governments. To start building your financial knowledge visit www.business.gov.au/businessfinances

China to have 600mn middle-class people by 2020 BEIJING, Nov 4 (IANS) China will have a staggering 600 million middle-class people by 2020, an official predicted. China is the world's most populous country, with a population of 1.3 billion. China's rapid urbanization will greatly increase its number of middle-class people to 600 million and support an economic growth

between 7 percent and 8 percent annually by 2020, a government think tank chief predicted on Saturday 3 November, reported People's Daily. Speaking in Haikou, capital of China's southern-most province of Hainan, Chi Fulin, executive president of the China Institute for Reform and Development, said: "As urbanization will create huge

26 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

domestic demand potential, China still has ample room for transition and reform for the coming decade." According to the think tank, China's urbanization rate reached 51.3 percent in 2011, meaning over half of Chinese were living in cities and towns last year. As more farmers are leaving their farmland and becoming migrant www.indiantimes.com.au

workers in cities and towns, China is expected to have another 200 million migrant workers living in urban areas, according to a study by the the China Institute for Reform and Development. The continued urbanization and the increase in middle-class consumers will spur investment demand by at least 40 trillion yuan ($6.3 trillion) over the next 10

years, Chi said. He predicted domestic consumption will replace investment to become China's major engine driving the economy, with residential consumption in rural and urban areas expected to jump to 30 trillion yuan in 2016 from 16 trillion yuan last year. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 27

28 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 29

Who, What, Where, When • Ramasundaram Chinniah, a wellknown Tamil Community Elder celebrated his 90th Birthday this month end among a gathering of well-wishers, family and friends. Uncle Ramasundaram was born in the year 1922 in a Tea Estate town in Sri Lanka. Couple of decades earlier the family had to migrate to Brisbane following his son. Since his settling in Brisbane, he has chaired a number of voluntary organisations including a Welfare organization for Children of Tea Estate Workers in Sri Lanka. An active member and advocate of all Tamil Associations in Queensland. He was instrumental in referring so many new settlers to their first job, first friend and a first housing. This gathering wished him and his wife a long and useful public life, peace of mind and good health. Courtesy Ramanathan Karuppiah. • Central Queensland Ramayan Mandali Emerald celebrated Navaratri at Shiri Krishna Mudaliar's residence in Emerald.

• Mrs Raj Patti Lal celebrating her birthday with her children and grand children at the residence of her son Navin Chandra Lal in Melbourne on 27 October.

• QPS Multicultural dinner Ian Stewart (Commissioner of Police), Surendra Prasad OAM, Bob Atkinson and Manjit Boparai.

• Congratulations to Soneel Deo who recently received a Mathematics Excellence Award. • Penelope and Rudesh with their family at their wedding reception held on Monday 1st Oct at the Chase Foresdale… Photo's by David Ferguson Photography - www.dfphotographer.com.au

• QPS Multicultural Dinner at Greek Club on 24th October. Front Row: Micheal Yau, Agnes Whiten OAM Chairperson-ECCQ. Back row: Mustafa Ally, Surendra Prasad OAM

• Above: Ganga Talao ( lake) a place of Pilgrimage in Mauritius. • Right: Lord Shiva statue at the entrance of Ganga Talao Mauritius.

30 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 31

Brisbane celebrates Diwali.... DIWALI the festival of lights has become a major celebration in Brisbane, it is now as widely celebrated as lunar New Year. Dignitaries and politicians have been seen bunny hopping between various Diwali functions.

The Federation of Indian Communities in Queensland FICQ holds the biggest Diwali function in Brisbane, in its third year the function was a huge success. Like every other year, a group of performers, IndoAfrican troupe called Siddi Goma had come from India through ICCR and Indian High Commission. The Sidis of Gujarat are a tribal Sufi Community of East African origin which came to India eight centuries ago and made Gujarat their home. They carried with them their exceptionally rich musical tradition and kept it alive and flourishing through the generations, unknown to the rest of the world. Many local dance groups took part in the stage items, Melbourne based Shriram sang Bollywood numbers, Shere Punjab Group performed their Bhangra dance and Brisbane Babas Band finished the show off with live Bhangra with audience participation. The celebration was held at King George Square on Friday 2 November from eleven in the morning till eleven in the night.

Hindu Society of Qld On Saturday 3 November Hindu Society of Queensland held their annual Diwali function at Cannon Hills Anglican College auditorium, it was a surprisingly good venue. Hindu Society of Queensland organise their Diwali function in a more traditional manner, starting with Puja and serving vegetarian meals only. The stage items were very good.

Tamil Association of Queensland The Tamil Association of Queensland held their Festival of Lights at RNA Show Grounds auditorium on Saturday 3 November, their function is always well organised and attended. The who's who of politics were in attendance.

Brisbane Gayatri Pariwar Brisbane Gayatri Pariwar held their Diwali function on Sunday 4 November at Runcorn State School, the function included Bhajans, Parbahan by Punkaj Upadhay and Deep Pojan.

Shree Sanatan Dharam Hindu Association of Qld Diwali Fest was held at Kings Soccer Club Slacks Creek on 26 and 27 October, their event is a festival style outdoor event, which attracts a lot of people. The grand finale is the display of fireworks which is synonymous with festival of lights. 32 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

A Diwali message to lead the community from darkness to light Thakur Ranjit Singh I WISH a happy and prosperous Diwali to all my readers, and let us begin with A Diwali prayer: Asato maa sad-gamaya, Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya; Mṛityor-maa-mṛitan gamaya, Om shaantiḥ shaantiḥ shaantiḥ Lead us from Untruth to Truth, from Darkness to Light, from Death to Immortality. Om peace, peace, peace. We further pray to be happy, free from disease and see the truth. That is generally what those conveying Diwali message say. And those messages are generally “feel-good” messages, saying all good things. That is where I will differ in this Diwali message which is a wakeup call to the community. This message speaks about leading our people from darkness to light and speaking truth without fear or favour. Just before Diwali, we mark Navaratri which represents celebration of Goddess Durga, the manifestation of Deity in form of Shakti [Energy or Power]. We all just marked Navratri and sang praises to women and Goddesses. The Navaratri festival or ‘Nine Nights festival’ becomes ‘ten days festival’ with the addition of the last day, Vijayadashami which is its culmination. On all these ten days, the various forms of Mother Mahisasura-mardini (Durga) are worshipped with fervor and devotion. This is done with additional devotion in India and now spreading to countries where Hindus have settled, including Fiji, USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. I am sure Brisbane and other cities in Australia where Hindus are settled, celebrated Navratri in force, in colours and with great deal of energetic dances. Hinduism in particular and India in general show very high regard for Goddesses and women in theory and rituals. We dedicate ten days to dance and celebrate women and Goddesses made of lifeless statues of plastics, mortars and stones, founded in mythology. However, the actual living Goddesses in flesh and blood, in form of our ladies our mothers, sisters and daughters in some

instances are still treated as second - class in real life. The cases of female infanticide (foeticide), violence against women and treatment of widows and dowry are still some living examples. The cases of latter one still exist in developed countries, where some cases of dowry have been reported in New Zealand as well. Waitakere Indian Association’s recent community project with Auckland Council and Ministry of Social Development on Family Violence in our community is a wake-up call to our religious organisations perhaps to shift emphasis from rituals, festival celebrations, dance and songs to tangible community service, welfare and support for their followers. Having feel-good conferences make leaders famous and win them award and medals but delivers little tangibly to the community. The question that I raise this Diwali is: has the message of Diwali delivered us from darkness to light? Why some of the outdated traditions and customs still treat women as “paon ki juti” or slippers on men’s feet, always in subjugation? For how long will Sita continue to go through sacrificial fire, Agni paricha, to prove her purity? How long will Dropadi continue to be gambled and betted away as men’s chattels and disrobed by men? I had earlier spoken about delivering our community from the shackles and bondage of outdated and questionable traditions that commenced in the fog of time, shrouded in mystery. Many of our traditions and rituals had a specific reason at the time they commenced but were never meant to become unquestionable traditions. The sad part is that the descendants of such people blindly and unquestionably tend to hold on to such rituals as if they are doing great service in upholding as tradition what was never meant to be upheld. One such nonsensical and unexplainable tradition is not having weddings and Katha/pooja for one year after the death in the family. This ritual is not backed by any Vedas or religious direction. Life and death are Gods doings. Tradition and culture have never been meant to be bondage on any community but to make their life easier. Traditions which

restrict the advancement of the community are outdated and need to change. Now this brings us to Diwali message which is meant to deliver us from darkness that has shrouded our community in the name of tradition and custom. My wish and message this Diwali to all Hindus is to start treating religion as a way of life and not some showpiece grounded in rituals that make little sense or show any logic. Therefore while wishing everybody a Happy Diwali and prosperous New Year; I pray that the lights of Diwali diyas may transfer us from darkness to light where we make judgements in life which strengthens our belief in our traditions, and do not become a reason for us to question or consider abandoning our religion. This has additional meaning after watching OMG Oh My God movie - a divine comedy of Kanjibhai v/s God. Many issues about our blind beliefs and some issues raised here are unearthed in this enlightening satire on illogical faith grounded in human greed, nothing to do anything with God.

May Latchmi Mata deliver wealth to you, but more importantly, may Saraswati Mata (mother of knowledge and wisdom) also deliver us better understanding and wisdom to choose carefully. We pray to Latchmi Mata, Goddess of Wealth to deliver us light, ability to see truth and support those speaking truth, never mind how bitter. Let us all pull out country, especially our Bharat Mata (Mother India) from the chasm and darkness of political instability, corruption, deception, poor leadership, outdated medieval customs into light, truth, equality and social justice. Let us once again, look honestly in the mirror, and thank Latchmi Mata, for helping make our country great. Asato maa sad-gamaya, Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya. Wishing a Happy Diwali to all. [E-mail: thakurji@xtra.co.nz [Thakur Ranjit Singh is community worker and a media commentator who writes truth without fear or favour. Views expressed here are entirely his personal and does not represent that of any person or organisation he is associated with.]

Celebrating Deepavali THE Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Senator Kate Lundy, has conveyed her warmest greetings and best wishes to all Australians celebrating the holy festival of Deepavali or Diwali. Deepavali or the ‘festival of lights’ is a positive and joyous celebration that represents hope, renewal, happiness, forgiveness and goodwill. “Deepavali celebrates good over evil. It symbolises happiness, hope and prosperity to all,” Senator Lundy said. “Australia is a richly multicultural nation which embraces the religious and cultural traditions of our diverse population. Our diversity is a source of social and economic strength, giving vibrancy and dynamism to Australian

life. “Deepavali is one of the biggest celebrations of the year – it transcends religious differences to unite everyone in celebration, bringing together not only those of Indian ancestry and followers of the Hindu, Sikh or Jain faiths, but all Australians,” Senator Lundy said. In the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, the Gillard Government has outlined its ambitious plan to ensure Australia emerges stronger over the decades ahead by taking advantage of the Asian century and strengthening ties with India. Like many other cultural festivals, Deepavali is very much a part of the rich and diverse cultural landscape of Australia.

Queensland Telugu Association Inc. Dasara - Deepavali celebrations were held on 6 October. The chief guest was Mr Ian Kaye, Member of Parliament, Greenslopes.

Brisbane City Council and Brisbane Marketing organised three

Band performances by Brisbane Babas Band at Queen Street mall for Diwali on 2 November. The shows attracted many people on the Friday afternoon.

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 33

Diwali..... Submitted by Sundar Gopal Das Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar. It falls in the very auspicious month of Kartika. Diwali is a contraction of ‘Deepavali’ meaning an array of lights, signifying victory of good over evil or brightness over darkness. Diwali has various meanings for the different communities. For some, it is the day Sri Krishna lifts the Govardhana mountain, protects the lives of the residences of Vrndavana and crushes Lord Indra’s pride. The goddess Laxmi, a symbol of wealth and prosperity, is also worshipped by many during this time, for peace and prosperity for their family for the upcoming year. On this day people wear new clothes, share sweets and light firecrackers. For many, Diwali signifies the return of Lord Ramachandra, mother Sitadevi and Lakshmana after a 14 year exile and a war vanquishing the demon king Ravana. As the Lord states in the Bhagavad Gita “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself. In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to re-establish the principles of religion, I advent Myself, millennium after millennium.”

So in order to vanquish demons like Ravana and to re-establish dharma, religious principles, Lord Rama appeared. A deeper reason for His appearance was to show compassion to His devotees who were feeling so much separation from Him. With Queen Kaikeyi as an instrument, Lord Rama was exiled to the forest for 14 years. During this time Lord Rama was able to bless the residents of forests with His darsana, particularly Shabari as well as saints such as Valmiki and Atri, make friendship with Sugriva and others, and kill demons like Khara, Dushana and Ravana along with their demon army. However during this time, the citizens of Ayodhya were feeling so much separation from their Lord. A period of sadness was spread over Ayodhya and all were hankering for their Lord to come back. When the citizens of Ayodhya heard that their beloved Lord was coming back after His 14 year exile, they illuminated the kingdom with lamps and bursting firecrackers welcoming their Lord back to Ayodhya ending their sadness due to His absence and beginning of joy, happiness and celebrations. Just as Lord Rama destroyed Ravana who was an embodiment of pride, lust and sin, may He also destroy all these tendencies in us, that we don’t hurt other living entities, and that we don’t deviate from path of truth. Just as the residents of Ayodhya were eager for the Lord to come back, may we also be eager for the Lord to enter our hearts and that we have unmotivated and unalloyed devotion to Him. Just as when He entered Ayodhya, He brought happiness and peace to the residents, may the Lord also enter our hearts bringing happiness and peace to us and that we have no hankering for the temporary things of this world. and that and remove all our distress.

From Brisbane Bhakti Yoga Centre team – we wish everyone a happy Diwali and may the beauty of the festival of lights, bring a world of joy, happiness and contentment to all.

34 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Come and enjoy stage performances, traditional dances, Bhajans, Deepawali Songs, Dinner and Sweets.

62 Newnham Rd Mt Gravatt East SAT NOV 10 2012

Programme starts 6pm

Best wishes for Deepawali 2012 Lord Mayor Graham Quirk

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Cr Krista ADAMS

Cr Margaret de WIT

Cr Adrian SCHRINNER

Cr Angela OWEN-TAYLOR

Wishart Ward PH: 3403 7791

Pullenvale Ward PH: 3407 0220

Chandler Ward Ph: 3407 1400

Parkinson Ward Ph: 3131 7022

Cr Matthew BOURKE

Cr Fiona KING

Cr Peter MATIC

Jamboree Ward Ph: 3407 7000

Marchant Ward Ph: 3407 0707

Toowong Ward Ph: 3403 2520

Cr Vicki HOWARD

Cr Norm WYNDHAM

Cr Steven HUANG

Cr Kim MARX

Central Ward Ph: 3403 0254

McDowall Ward PH: 3403 7690

MacGregor Ward Ph: 3407 8500

Karawatha Ward PH: 3407 0566

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 35

Hazrat Usman Ghani Imam Muhammad Aslam ALL praise is due to Allah(SWT) and peace and blessings upon our beloved prophet Muhammad(SAW). This article will focus on Hazrat Usman Ghani. First of all I would like to mention the meaning of Sahabi and who are they. Meaning- Sahabee (plural: Sahabah) Anyone who saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), while in the state of Imaan and breathe his last while in the state of Muslim is known as a Sahabee - the Companion of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). The Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of the Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) clearly mention the lofty position of the Sahabah - The first ones to accept Islam and to believe in the last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wasallam). They left their homelands and migrated to Madinah, all for the sake of Allah. , . They are the ones, whom Allah chose to place the responsibility of preserving the religion of Islam for the coming generations and it is through them that the Religion is preserved; they are the Best of generation, as Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "The best of my nation is my generation then those who follow them and then those who follow them." [Saheeh Bukharee] They are the best example for us after our noble Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), he (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) symbolized them as a protection for the Muslim Ummah. And Allah, the Exalted has praised those who follow them in faith, He described them saying: "And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and Ansar and all those who followed them exactly (in faith). Allah is well pleased with them and they are pleased with Him and Allah has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell

therein forever and that is the great success." [(9): 100] Abi Burda reports from his father: "â€¦ He (Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)) raised his head toward the heavens and said: "The stars are the protection for the sky - when the stars have gone, that which has been forewarned will come to the sky. I am the protection for my Companions - when I have gone, that which has been forewarned will come to my companions. My Companions are the protection for this Ummah - when they have gone, that which has been forewarned will come to this Ummah." [Saheeh Muslim] Life Before acceptance of Islam Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) belonged to a noble family of Quraish in Mecca. His ancestral pedigree joins with that of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) in the fifth generation. He was from the "Umayyah" family of Quraish, which was a well reputed and honourable family of Mecca during the pre-Islamic days. In the famous battle of "Fajar" the Commanderin-Chief of the Quraish army, Harb bin Umayyah was from the same family. The descendants of this family are known as "Banu Umayyah" or "Umawwin". Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was born in 573 A.C. His patronymic name was "Abu Amr" and father's name was "Affan bin Abul-As". He was known by the name "Uthman ibn ‘Affan". Hadrat Uthman was one of the few persons of Mecca who knew reading and writing. When he grew up, he started business in cloth which made him very rich. He used his money in good ways and always helped the poor. Uthman (R.A.) was a soft natured and kind hearted man. He did not hesitate to spend any amount of money on seeing a man in trouble in order to remove his misery. For his noble qualities the Meccans had great respect for him. Acceptance of Islam Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) accepted Islam

when Abu Bakr (R.A.) preached to him. He was one of those Muslims who accepted Islam in its very early days. One of the daughters of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam), Hadrat Ruqayyah (R.A.) was married to one of the sons of Abu Lahb (an arch-enemy of Islam). When the Holy Prophet(Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) started to preach Islam, Abu Lahb asked his son ‘Utbah to divorce her. Then the Holy Prophet married her to Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) Emigration to Abyssinia When life in Mecca became hard for the Muslims, he went to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu'alaihi wa Sallam) and sought permission to take refuge in Abyssinia along with other Muslims. The permission was granted. Hadrat Uthman and his wife crossed the Red Sea with other Muslims and migrated to Abyssinia. At the time of his migration the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu'alaihi wa Sallam) remarked: "Uthman is the first man of my Ummah to migrate (for sake of Allah) with his family." He stayed there for a couple of months and came back to Mecca. Uthman (R.A.) gets the title of "Dhunnurain" Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) migrated second time with other Muslims to Medina. He could not participate in the first battle at Badr, because his wife was very ill. She died before the Muslims returned from Badr after the victory. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) gave him glad tidings that he would get the same reward as though he had participated in the Qital.. After the death of Hadrat Ruqayyah (R.A.), the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) married his next daughter, "Umm Kulthum" with Hazrat usman and he was given the title of "Dhun-nurain" i.e., the man with two lights. His other services for the cause of Islam before caliphate He was a very prominent Muslim to serve

the ummah by all means. . At the time of the "Treaty of Hudaibiya" he was sent to Mecca to negotiate with the kuffar. Then the Muslims were wrongly informed about his murder by the kuffare Mecca. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) sought a pledge by the Muslims to take a revenge of his murder. That pledge is known as "Bai'at al-Ridwan" (the Pledge of Ridwan). For Uthman’s pledge, the Holy Prophet(Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) put his left hand (representing Uthman's hand) on his right hand. When the Muhajirin (Emigrants) from Mecca came to Medina, they had great difficulty in getting drinking water. Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) bought a well named "bi’ri-Rumah” for twenty thousand dirhams for free use of ummah. That was the first trust ever made in the history of Islam. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) gave him the glad tidings of Paradise for this act. When the number of Muslims increased, the Prophet's mosque became too small to accommodate the increasing population, it was Uthman (R.A.) who responded to the Prophet's call and bought land for its extension. When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) went to Ghazwae Tabuk, Hadrat Uthman gave one thousand camels, fifty horses and one thousand Dinars (gold coins) to support . The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu'alaihi wa Sallam) remarked on this, "Nothing will do any harm to Uthman from this day, whatever he does." Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was one of the scribes of the “Wahy" (Revelation) and also used to write other documents (letters and messages etc.) of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). At the time of the election of Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was present in the Assembly Hall of Medina. During the caliphate of Abu Bakr and 'Umar (R.A.), he was a member of the

Brisbanites stop and take the roses CCN - Crescents Community News crescentsofbrisbane.org AT around 11am on Saturday 3 November a group of some 20 men and women from the Brisbane Muslim community handed out a thousand white roses to the public in the Queen Street Mall outside the Myer Centre. Each rose carried with it a card with a quotation from George Bernard Shaw on Islam and a message that conveyed the compassionate and peace-loving nature of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). "This initiative was aimed at demonstrating, in a very positive and peaceful way, our objection to the false messages that the video, Innocence of Muslims, was sending out and in so doing provide an alternative viewpoint," one of the organizers of A Rose for Peace and Harmony, told CCN. "We felt there was no better way to do this than by using the rose as the universal symbol of peace and harmony," she added. "Brisbane has now joined with the other cities of the world, like London, Birmingham, Oslo, Auckland, to use the rose as a way of affirming the tenets of peace, goodwill and harmony that were the legacy of the Prophet (PBUH)." Also present to observe the handing out of the roses was Minister for Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs, Greg Elmes, In a media release issued the day before, the Minister lauded the effort of the Muslims of Queensland and encouraged all Queenslanders "to look beyond the minority (of violent protestors) and to see the positive benefits which the vast majority of migrants bring to our state.” The gesture was overwhelming well received by the passers-by who stopped, chatted, complimented and asked questions. Once such recipient, Dominque, emailed afterwards with the comment: I was in the Queen Street Mall today and received a white rose from you. I just wanted to say thank you! It has really made my day. 36 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

(Third Khalifa of Mulimeen) "Shura" (Advisory Council). He occupied a prominent position in the affairs of the Islamic State during that time. Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) elected as the third Khalifah (Caliph) Before his death, Hadrat ‘Umar (R.A.) appointed a panel of six men to select a "Khalifah" from amongst themselves and then sought his approval through Bai'at (Pledge of loyalty) by Muslim Public. He also instructed them to make the nomination within three days. The panel included Uthman,'Ali, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, Talha, Zubair and 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf (Ridwanullah-i-'Alaihim) as the members. The panel could not arrive at any decision even after long meetings. Then, Hadrat 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf proposed somebody to withdraw his name in order to decide the matter. When he got no response, he withdrew his own name. The remaining members agreed that he could take a decision. He consulted each member individually except Hadrat Talha (R.A.) who was not present at Medina. It so happened that Hadrat Uthman proposed 'Ali's name and Hadrat 'Ali proposed Uthman's name for the post of Khalifah. After more consultations with other companions and thinking over the problem during the third night, Hadrat ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf(R.A.) gave his decision in the morning of the fourth day in favour of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). First of all Hadrat ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf(R.A.) took Bai'at at the hands of Hadrat Uthman and then all the Muslims present in the Mosque followed suit and took Bai'at (pledge of loyalty) at the hands of Hadrat Uthman(R.A.). In this way, Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was declared to be the third Khalifah. When Hadrat Talha (R.A.) returned to Medina, Uthman (R.A.) requested him either to accept the post of "Khalifah" (as he was among the persons proposed by Hadrat ‘Umar for the post) or to acknowledge him as Khalifah by taking Bai'at. Hadrat Talha declined to be the Khalifah and took pledge of loyalty at his hand, saying "How can I object to your being the Khalifah when all the Muslims have agreed upon you." A great Martyr Hadrat Uthman was a great martyr as prophesied in the following Hadith quoted by Bukhari and others. Hadrat Anas (R.A.) narrated that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam), Abu Bakr,'Umar, and Uthman went up Uhud (the mountain near Medina) and when it quivered because of them the Holy Prophet kicked it with his foot and said, "Keep steady, 0 Uhud, for there are a prophet, a Siddiq and two martyrs on you." In the above Hadith, Hadrat Abu Bakr had

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

been said as the Siddiq (friend) while 'Umar and Uthman (R.A.) had been prophesied as the martyrs. The news of martyrdom The news of Hadrat Uthman's cruel assassination shocked everybody. Hadrat'Ali (R.A.) received the news when he was returning from Ahjar to see Hadrat Uthman. He was stunned on hearing the assassination of Hadrat Uthman and exclaimed, "0 Allah, You know it, I am free from any blame." He rebuked his sons Hasan and Husain (R.A.) and others who had stood guard at the gate for not being more alert. Official manuscript of the Holy Qur'an One of the magnificent services to ummah done by Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was to safeguard any possible change in the codex of the Holy Qur'an. After the conquests by the Muslims hundreds of thousands of non-Arabs, whose mother tongue was not Arabic, accepted Islam because of its teachings. Hadrat Hudhaifah (R.A.), one of the prominent Companions of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam), went for qital during that time and noticed many differences in the manner of recitation (Qira't) of the Holy Qur'an. The Syrians recited in a way different from that of Kufis while the Kufis differed from Basris and so on. As a matter of fact these differences were due to the differences in the way of writing Arabic. Seeing this condition Hadrat Hudhaifah reported the matter to the Khalifah on his return from the qital(defencive war) and suggested that the Medinese codex should be regarded as authentic, i.e. the Holy Qur'an, which was written and compiled in Book form during the time of Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) and was kept with Ummulmumminin Hadrat Hafsah (R.A.). Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) took that Book from Hadrat Hafsah(R.A.) and canonised the Medinese codex. He asked Hadrat Zaid bin Thabit (R.A.), the person who wrote it during the time of Hadrat Abu Bakr, to make copies of the same with the help of some other Companions like Abdullah bin Zubair and Sa'd bin 'As etc. . However for this great service Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) is famous as the "Jami'ul-Qur'an" (The compiler of the Qur'an). Uthman (R.A.) as a great Scholar Hadrat Uthman had a beautiful handwriting because of which the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) appointed him as one of the scribes of the "Wahy" (Revelation). His style of writing was well recognised among the Companions. Arabic knowing persons can recognise the fluency of his writings specially of the letters and the orders he sent to various officers during

his Khilafat. Though he was not an orator but his way of lecturing was very effective. His addresses and lectures can be seen in history books. Hadrat Uthman was a great scholar of the Holy Qur'an and was a "Hafiz"(i.e. the one who commits the whole Holy Book to memory). He was well versed in "Shan-iNuzul"i.e. the chronology of revelation of various verses and the chapters of the Holy Qur'an, and was considered an authority in this respect. He was one of the few Companions who excelled in deriving laws from the verses of the Holy Qur'an. Although he was not a great jurist like ‘Umar and 'Ali (R.A.) nevertheless he was well qualified in this respect. His verdicts and judgements have been mentioned in books. He was considered an authority on the laws of Hajj. Even ‘Umar (R.A.) asked Uthman about that during his time. Character and Piety Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was a very pious Companion and a man of high character. He was the most modest of all the Companions. Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was sitting with some of his Companions and the shin of this leg was not covered. In the meantime somebody informed him about the arrival of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu'Alaihi wa Sallam) immediately covered it and remarked: "Even the angels have regard for the modesty of Uthman" He was a strict follower of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Somebody asked him the reason for smiling after wudu. He replied he had seen the Holy Prophet smiling after making wudu, so he smiled to follow him. Once he demonstrated to Muslims the correct way of making wudu according to the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). He used to fear Allah very much. Tears used to roll down his face because of Allah's fear. Whenever the consequences to be faced in the grave were described before him, he used to weep so much that his beard could get wet with tears. Sometimes he wept and cried seeing a corpse or a grave because of fear of Allah. He used to say, "Grave is the first stage among all the stages of the Hereafter. If a person is successful there, he would be successful on the Day of Judgement too. If a person faces difficulty in the grave, other stages would also be difficult for him." He used to do household work although he was one of the wealthiest persons in the whole of Arabia. He would not wake his slave to take any help from him when he got up to perform "Tahajjud" Salat. Hadrat Uthman was very soft spoken. If

www.indiantimes.com.au

any person talked to him in a harsh tone he always replied gently. Once he was delivering "Khutbah" of Jumu'a Salat, a person shouted during the Sermon: "O Uthman, repent for Allah’s sake and keep away from going wrong." He immediately turned his face towards the Qiblah and exclaimed, "0 Allah, I am the first to repent before Thee and to turn towards Thee." He never took any allowance from the "Bait ul-Mal" for his services as a Khalifah. Hadrat ‘Umar got 5,000 darhams annually as an allowance from the Public Treasury, thus Hadrat Uthman contributed 60,000 Drahms after his 12 years service, towards the Public Fund. Examples of his generosity have already been given. He was the most generous among all the wealthy Companions and never hesitated to spend his money for the cause of Islam and Muslims. His house was one of the biggest in Medina which he built near the mosque of the Holy Prophet. He established a library in the back of his house for the education of the Muslims. Wives and Children Hadrat Uthman was first married to the Holy Prophet's daughter, Hadrat Ruqayyah (R.A.) who died in Medina . Then he was married to the younger daughter of the Holy Prophet whose name was Hadrat Umm-i-Kulthum. She also died in the year 9 A.H. His first wife, Hadrat Ruqayyah bore him a son, Abdullah, who died at an early age. He had no child from Umm-iKulthum (R.A.). After the death of his second wife Hadrat Umm-i-Kulthum, he married to others ladies, from time to time: Eleven sons were born to him from different wives. Some of them died at an early age. One of his sons, Aban became famous and held high positions during the Umayyads. He had six or seven daughters. No use of Force against Civilians Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) showed an exemplary tolerance against the insurgents. By not using force against the civil public, he set the first example of the highest democraticy, to satisfy the insurgents He gave before the public, full explanation of all the allegations brought against him, and the public was fully satisfied with his explanation. . His words: "I do not want to spill ummats blood to save my own neck" would be remembered for ever. May Allah(SWT) give us the taufeeq to respect all companions of the Prophet(SAW) and follow their footsteps. Islamic Society of Algester extends Hajj Mubarak to all Hujjaj-e-karam.

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 37

Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Qld Inc Arya Samaj in Nation building

same time had to inwardly remain attached to the country where their forefathers were born and the Jitendra Deo President Arya Samaj was founded. Indeed some felt tormented where as others took it THE Arya Samaj indeed is an international in their normal stride of life. Without viomovement and not a national one. Right lating the law of the land of adoption, they from day one when this august movement kept their conscience and their `Vedic made a debut in Bombay in 1875 the entire Dharm’ in an unadulterated form. We raise mankind was put in focus. Among the 28 our hats and salute to them for their quality principles enunciated at the inception and of character and strength of perseverance. The Arya Samajists born and raised in later modified to 10 principles in Lahore in 1877, the emphasis has all along been on India have indeed no problem of dual citior tormented conscience. the development of the entire mankind. The zenship sixth principle of the Arya Samaj states that Unencumbered by a tormented conscience promotion of well being of the entire the Arya Samajists of India have had all the humanity – physical, spiritual and social time in the world to devote their undivided development – is the main aim of the Aryan attention to nation building. Turning a page movement. It needs no underscoring that as of history we find that the British governa reformation movement the Arya Samaj is ment in India had started keeping a suspinot confined to the geographical or political cious eye on the activities of the Arya boundaries of a nation state. However, India Samaj after many an Arya had joined the being the birth place of the movement and national freedom movement. When Lala the founder promoter of the Arya Samaj, Lajpat Rai, a prominent Arya Samajist and Maharshi Swami Dayanand Saraswati, a freedom fighter was imprisoned and being an Indian the initial impact was felt in exiled by turns, the Arya Samaj faced the ire of the Raj. Gurukul Kangri of Swami the then British India. Notwithstanding the historical and geo- Shradhanand Saraswati was rated as a facgraphical past, the movement gained tory manufacturing revolutionaries by the momentum in other European, African and sleuths of the central government. This state American states where men and women of continued until Sir Ramsay Mc Donald Indian origin with an Ayan bent of mind later prime minister of United Kingdom settled for education, business, service or (UK), Deenbandhu Andrews and other other human and legal occupations. These prominent Englishmen paid a visit to the Aryan pioneers held the flag of the Arya Gurukul and found not only peace of mind Samaj aloft and kept it flying despite but spiritual tranquillity in its hallowed numerous odds that they faced. They had a precincts. recurring problem. Were they to pay atten- Adopted from article by Brigadier tion to the country of their birth or to the Chitranjan Sawant, VSM country of their adoption. The concept of Please contact Jitendra Deo 3263 1914 or dual citizenship was not even in an embryo form more than a century ago. The pioneer Hari Chand 3345 4716 for information on activities of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Arya Samajists had to profess and demonQueensland or visit: strate their loyalty to the country where www.aryasamajqueensland.com they earned their bread and butter and at the

Benefits of forgiveness DEAR reader, it is with great joy we bring you the word of God. We all face moments in our lives when we are wronged. There are diffi- Pastor Joseph cult people out there who can cause us to be upset, cheated and offended. If we are not careful this can lead us be angry, bitter and resentful. We are to understand that an unforgiving heart is no good for us. When we hold on to unforgiveness we allow ourselves to be enslaved by others. In Genesis 27 we read that Isaac gave some good advice to his older son Esau, that as long as he held on to unforgiveness (angry, bitter, vengeful) towards his brother Jacob he would remain a slave to him. But the day he chose to forgive Jacob, then he would free himself. We need to understand that when we forgive others we are not setting others free but we are setting ourselves free. A few years ago one of my friends told me how he had helped a businessman/developer buy some land at the Gold Coast. The businessman had promised him a 5% commission on the profits. Soon after, the businessman developed the land and sold it at a good profit. When my friend confronted him about his commission the businessman began to make excuses. This only made him angry and bitter with the businessman and soon he realised that it was making him very upset, unhappy and even affecting his relationship with his loved ones. So one day he turned up at the businessman's office, gave him a gift and told the businessman that he wanted to forgive him for his action. My friend later shared with me how he felt so good that day, like a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. We are to remember that when we forgive, we are not just doing it for other person but we are doing it for our own good. When we hold on to unforgiveness and live with grudges in our hearts, all we are doing is building walls of separation. While it looks

like we are protecting ourselves all we are doing is shutting other people out of our lives. We become isolated, Dass alone and imprisoned by our own bitterness. These walls are not holding others out of your life but they hold you locked in, they imprison you. Researchers have found that unforgiveness can lead to sicknesses. Living with resentment, anger and grudges in our hearts helps accumulate toxins in our bodies leading to imbalance in our blood pressure levels. While we holding onto unforgiveness and hoping some misfortune to come to those who hurt us, the real misfortune is happening to us, to our health. We are to realise that we cannot enjoy a healthy lifestyle if we are holding onto unforgiveness. Scripture tells us that we are to forgive others as God forgave us. WE CAN NOT BE RIGHT WITH GOD WHEN WE ARE WRONG WITH OTHERS. Unforgiveness can stop God's favour and keep your prayers from being answered (Matthew 25v23,24). They will hinder and hold you back from being the person you were made to be. The only good thing you can do is to bring this wall of unforgiveness down. You must forgive the people who hurt you so you can get out of prison. You will never be free until you do so. You are to realise that everyone has been hurt some way or other. You will be amazed at what can happen to you once you let this poison out of your life. While unforgiveness will keep you talking about the person and what they have done to you, forgiving will lead you to talk to the person so you can forgive, unload the baggage, move on and enjoy your life. Let us pray. "Dear heavenly Father, thank you for forging us and giving us the strength to forgive others, in Jesus name we ask, Amen". Blessings Ps Joseph

38 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

Spiritual effects of swearing and why to speak softly instead of loudly ONE of the things that set humans apart is that we talk to communicate. Most of us talk regularly and throughout the day. Over time, people’s manner of speech has changed. Many people talk loudly to draw attention or to get their points across. Swearing and using curse words in social interaction has become a norm. In this article we explore the spiritual effects of talking softly versus loudly and also the effects of using improper language. Spiritual research into the effects of swearing or using bad words Most languages have some words that are considered inappropriate. These words are also known as swear words and people often use them to express emotions such as anger, frustration or surprise, or to achieve a social outcome such as insult, harassment or humour. From a spiritual perspective, common intentions behind swearing such as seeking attention or expressing negative feelings draw us away from God. In addition, spiritual research has shown that the bad words themselves attract distressing energy. Just as the Name of God attracts Divine frequencies, these bad words attract spiritually negative frequencies. Below we share subtle-Knowledge obtained by Mrs. Yoya Vallee who has an advanced sixth sense about the subtleeffects of swearing. * The ego is activated when swearing. * The vibrations of the swear words draw distressing energy from the environment. * A ring of distressing energy is activated in the subconscious mind * Distressing energy flows to the chakra located in the heart region (Anahat-chakra) * Distressing energy flows from the person to the environment spiritually polluting the environment The negative impact at a spiritual level can affect us at the psychological or the physical level too. For example, one could get more negative thoughts or could develop nausea. There is no connection to God while using swear words due to defects such as selfishness, an attitude of judging others, lack of respect, showing off, etc. The person swearing incurs sins and their ego can increase further. It is therefore recommended to completely avoid using swear words. Spiritual research into the effects of talking loudly One may talk loudly due to reasons like trying to attract attention or trying to argue. Seeking attention from others is a sign of ego and arguing fuels negative reactions in the mind. Both ego and negative reactions

draw us away from God. They also generate spiritually negative vibrations. Below, we share subtle-Knowledge obtained by Mrs. Yoya Vallee on the subtleeffects of talking loudly. * A ring of emotion is created at the Anahat chakra. A covering of black energy is also formed around the person since speaking loudly is an indication of ego. * A ring of black energy is formed around the person’s mouth and a flow of black energy occurs from the Anahat chakra to the mouth. * Black energy particles are emitted from the person’s mouth into the environment. In summary, talking loudly has a spiritually harmful effect. People who have a hearing disability naturally speak more loudly. Those who speak with them might also speak more loudly so that the hearing impaired person may hear more easily. In such cases, there is no spiritually harmful effect. Spiritual research into the effects of talking softly Talking softly, on the other hand is complementary to developing spiritually conducive qualities like a listening attitude, humility etc. These qualities generate positive spiritual vibrations. Speaking softly both helps our spiritual practice and protects us from the attacks of negative energies. Such speech is also more pleasant to those who listen to it. Below, we share subtle-Knowledge obtained by Mrs. Yoya Vallee on the subtleeffects of talking softly. * The ego is lower when talking softly due to thinking of others and respecting them. * Vibrations of emotion are generated in the Adnya chakra in small proportion and some waves and particles of energy are emitted from the person talking in normal movement. * The dominant energy is Divine consciousness. Waves of Divine consciousness are emitted from the mouth into the environment. * A protective covering of Divine consciousness is also formed around the person. Speaking softly is therefore recommended, due to the spiritual benefits we obtain. Due to speaking softly and calmly every action of the body, for example, physical movements, expressions on the face are calm (stable). Conclusion If one speaks softly and avoids using bad words, it helps us and those around us to become more Sattva predominant. Regular spiritual practice such as chanting creates a protective spiritual covering around us that protects us from the harmful elements in the spiritual dimension such as those generated when others talk loudly or use bad words. By doing regular spiritual practice, our sixth sense develops and we gain an inner understanding of what is sattvik. This makes it easier to make sattvik choices such as to speak softly as we understand the importance from within. You can e-mail us your comments and queries at shobhana.shet@spiritualresearch foundation.org

Niggling doubts before marriage? Beware! TORONTO, Nov 4 (IANS) Couples about to marry shouldn't ignore doubts about a life together, or they might regret it later, warns a researcher. "If you are having doubts about the relationship, just ignoring them may make a difference years down the road," says Matthew Johnson, who co-authored the study while at Kansas State University, US. He is now assistant professor of human ecology at the University of Alberta. The study found that couples who were more confident as they exchanged marriage vows also spent more time together 18 months into the marriage, and were still happy sharing life with their spouses at the three-year mark, the journal Family Process reports. The study used existing research data to weigh the marital confidence of 610 newly wed couples over a period of four years,

www.indiantimes.com.au

according to an Alberta statement. Those who were most confident at the outset of matrimony were still showing their happiness by sticking together as a couple after the honeymoon was long over. "These couples were spending time together, dining out, taking part in activities together, sharing meaningful conversation and physical expressions of affection. Those who are more confident in getting married are willing to invest in their relationships," Johnson said. In a time when divorce is prevalent, dealing with relationship issues up front is key, even if it could dim the glow of romance, according to Johnson. "It is tempting to push those concerns down and just go with the flow, but couples need to remember, the doubts you are having are there for a reason and dealing with them will be beneficial," concluded Johnson. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Health Beauty Wellbeing Memory loss can start early LONDON, Nov 2 (IANS) Memory loss can begin as early as our thirties, although the average age we experience such lapses is 57, according to a study. In an online poll in Britain, 11 percent of respondents said they had started to notice their memory suffering in their 40s. Six percent had noticed it in their 30s. The survey also revealed that the over-50s are plagued by the fear of memory loss and many have frequent and embarrassing memory lapses, the Daily Mail reported Friday 2 November. Examples included leaving the house without putting on socks, forgetting how to spell common words like "hour" and even struggling to remember their own name. According to the research, the 92 percent of over-50s do try to keep their minds and memory active. The survey was commissioned by adult learning website Love to Learn.

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 - 39

Health Beauty Wellbeing

Make up tips for the festive season

The human specialty Courtesy Vinaya Natarajan

By Nimisha of Hetvi Hair & Beauty (Mobile 0412 350 013) HEY Girls, as we are approaching festive session below tips will help you to look elegance during this time. To improve dry skin within seconds, use a hydrating spray for instant nourishment. * Last minute Mani’s and Pedi’s can be a gamble, but Liquid Palisade makes it fool proof. * Use a hydrating mask for 5-10 minutes for the antioxidant benefits and give fresh look. * If discoloration or pigmentation issues are a concern, use a Vitamin C serum to instantly give your mug an allday glow, Forgot your luminizer but you need to emphasize your killer cheekbones? Use a pearly white eye shadow to double-duty as highlighter in a pinch * Creases can appear on lids if you have oily skin or if you use cream eye shadows, I like to use eye primers to create a stay-put base for all lid colours, dark or pastel. * Now this will sound simple but trust me with this very effective tip. The best tip for making your face looks fresh after a sleepless night? Soak a washcloth in very warm water, press it against your skin, and give your face a good scrub. Then, rinse, and splash your face with ice-cold water. Your capillaries will respond to the changes in heat, which will stimulate lymph vessels and blood flow for better DE puffing. * Always, always, always curl your lashes to widen the appearance of your eyes, * When hair feels frazzled, throw two egg yolks—they're packed with lecithin and top it with a handful of purifying shampoo. Leave the mix on for 20 minutes, rinse and dry. * The best 10-second makeover tip for your mane? Change your part, When you get out of the shower, create your new part and blow-dry your strands in that direction to

retrain your locks. * Use a large-barrelled curling iron to add bounce to straight hair, keep the tong open and wrap small sections of hair around the iron, leaving the ends out. Do this in random pieces throughout your hair, all around your head. The rougher it looks the better— then tousle the curls out with your finger. * Put mousse in your hair no matter what, it will always make your strands look and feel fuller and sexier. Plus, it helps tame unruly ends. * Add an accent, like feathers or a tiny braid, to your typical hairstyle for an instant upgrade, * If you need definition and colour, use cream bronzer to highlight your eyes, lips, and cheeks. * To create the illusion of a more sculpted shoulder and neck area, shade and blend bronzer. * Have five minutes to spare before going out? Do 500 jogs in place for five minutes, it will give your face and skin an overall, healthy glow without getting you sweaty. Keep this tips handy and look confident. Take care. Nimisha

SO many people are so busy trying to figure out what is good and what is bad. Someone once said that every being already knows what is good and bad. A fly knows what’s good for it. It feels that flyswatter coming, and it lifts off. It doesn’t sit there and say, “I wonder what this guy is really going to do? I bet you he’s going to miss.” It takes flight. If a bird feels threatened, it doesn’t read a book to find out, “What are my chances statistically of getting hurt by this person?” Or think, “Let me figure out what the stars are like today.” It takes flight. There has always been the idea that the human being is superior. I don’t know about that. You see the state of mankind: so much war, so much quibbling, so many opinions. So many more people are more educated now than ever, and we have more wars now than we ever had. More food is produced now, and there are more hungry people. There is more communication; the word “peace” is thrown around much more now, and there is less peace on this earth. It seems like somehow we forget our truest nature. What is your specialty? What distinguishes you? The way I see it is we have become a very strange kind of problem-solver in our lives.The analogy is: Imagine a house, and outside that house is a tree.The tree touches the house, and the ants go up the tree, and from there, they go into the house. All of a sudden, there are ants everywhere, with plenty of food scattered everywhere for them to be able to eat. Logically, one would say, “Just trim back the branches so that the ants don’t have access to the house.” But the way a human being would go about it in reality is not that. They will go out and buy little poison boxes. They will say, “Let’s have electronic ant detectors and ultrasonic ant repellant. Let’s discover which spectrum of light ants don’t like, and let’s invent a flying antkiller robot. And let’s come up with a kind of food that you can eat so when your skin exfoliates and the ants go to get it, they’ll

die.” This may sound funny, but this is how the world approaches the problem. All of a sudden, you’ve got hundreds of thousands of people going in their own direction trying to figure out how to get rid of the ants. Then somebody says, “Why don’t you just trim back those branches?” And what will that person be told? “You’re crazy. You’re being too simplistic. You’re impeding the progress of mankind! Here is an opportunity to really be on the forefront of the industry of ant destruction!” It sounds funny, but it’s sad. Trim back the branches in your life so that what you really want can happen. If you are looking for peace, that is a possibility. It is for a limited time that we are here. Coming and going has to happen for every single human being. If you have found peace in your life, you can be in a place where you enjoy every day, every moment. This is what can distinguish you from being just caught up in the chores of every day. You can experience what it is really like to be alive. Maharaji For a free DVD in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu or any other Indian language, email wordsofpeace.brisbane@gmail.com or phone 38182615

http://tprf.org • http://maharaji.net • http://contactinfo.net/

'Exercise can improve satisfaction Quinoa: The mother of all grains levels among youth' WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (IANS) Extending the normal exercise routine by a few minutes could ensure higher satisfaction levels among young adults aged 18-25 years, says a new study. "We found that people's satisfaction with life was directly impacted by their daily physical activity," said study author Jaclyn Maher, graduate student in kinesiology at the Penn State University. "The findings reinforce the idea that physical activity is a health behaviour with important consequences for daily well-being and should be considered when developing national policies to enhance satisfaction with life," added Maher, the journal Health Psychology reports. The researchers examined the influence of physical activity on satisfaction with life among emerging adults aged 18-25 years because this population's sense of wellbeing appears to worsen more quickly than at any other time during adulthood, according to a Penn statement. "Emerging adults are going through a lot of changes; they are leaving home for the first time and attending college or starting jobs," said Maher. "As a result, their satisfaction with life can plummet. We decided to focus on emerging adults because they stand to benefit the most from strategies to enhance satisfaction with life." The researchers recruited two groups of

By Thilliar Varnakulasingham

college students at Penn State. The first group, consisting of 190 individuals, entered information into a diary every day for eight days. The second group of 63 individuals, entered information into a secure website every day for 14 days. Both groups answered questions aimed at determining participants' satisfaction with life, physical activity and self-esteem. "Shifts in depression, anxiety and stress would be expected to influence a person's satisfaction with life at any given point in time," said David Conroy, professor of kinesiology. Specifically, the team found that by exercising just a little more than usual a person can significantly improve his or her satisfaction with life. "Based on these findings, we recommend that people exercise a little longer or a little harder than usual as a way to boost satisfaction with life," said Conroy.

40 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

THER are more than ten super-foods. Every brightly colored fruit and vegetable fits into the category of a super-food. Nuts, beans, seeds and aromatic and brightly colored herbs and spices can also be considered super-foods. Quinoa is a recently rediscovered ancient grain. It was once called “the gold of the Incas”. It is called “mother grain”. It stands head and shoulders above the rest of grains. Although it is a seed, it is generally called a grain. Its scientific name is Chenopodium quinoa. It is the best grain source of protein. Its protein is complete, because it contains all nine amino acids that the body must get from food. This makes quinoa a choice grain for people who do not include any meat in their diets. It is well endowed with the amino acid lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair. It is a good source of magnesium, folate and phosphorus. This may be valuable for persons ailing from migraine, headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Quinoa is very delicious and gluten free. It comes in different colors- white, red and black. The most common is white. The American and Canadian diabetic societies released a recommendation that people with gluten intolerance could safely include quinoa in their diets. Most grains have a little iron, but quinoa is a good source of iron. A half-cup of cooked quinoa contains four milligrams of iron. It is equal to 40 percent of the

www.indiantimes.com.au

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men and 27 percent of the RSA for women. The fiber and the protein in quinoa give it a low glycemic load. Carbohydrates with a low glycemic load help keep blood sugar low and steady. It is a good source of riboflavin which is necessary for proper energy production within cells. Researchers found a diet rich in fiber from whole grains, such as quinoa, and fruit offered significant protection against breast cancer for pre-menopausal women. Eating whole grains such as quinoa at least six times a week is especially good for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease. Increasing the consumption of whole grains, including quinoa, and fish could reduce the risk of childhood asthma by about 50 percent, according to the International Study on Allergy and Asthma in Childhood. Consuming foods high in soluble fiber, such as quinoa, can help women avoid gallstones, shows a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Quinoa and other grains substantially lower type 2 diabetes risk. An editorial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommends at least three servings of whole grains, such as quinoa, should be eaten daily. Whole grains such as quinoa, has been linked to protection against atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity and premature death. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 - 41

NRI Goans can now process OCI card in Goa PANAJI, Nov 1 (IANS) Here's relief for those hundreds of thousands from the Goan diaspora settled around the world. A move by the union ministry of home affairs (MHA) to streamline the overseas citizen of India (OCI) process will now ensure that those settled abroad can now visit their home state without going through the rigmarole of Delhi's bureaucracy. "The MHA has now delegated the powers to grant OCI status to foreign citizens at the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Goa," a Goa government spokesperson said. The Goa government has been lobbying for streamlining of the OCI card process, even as the office of the NonResident Indian (NRI) Commission for Goa had received several complaints about hardships faced by the non-resident Goans. Former NRI commissioner Eduardo Faleiro had also petitioned the home ministry on several occasions to delegate the powers of granting OCI to a central authority located in Goa. "Goan NRIs has to go through horrors dealing with the bureaucracy in Delhi, very often making special trips for the OCI purpose alone," Faleiro said. "The OCI card will help NRIs, especially the elderly ones, to settle down permanently in Goa on the strength of their OCI status. And they can do it in Goa," Faleiro said. Thousands of Goans have migrated to foreign countries, especially, the Middle East, Canada, Australia and Europe.

India sees Mauritius as gateway to do business with Africa FLIC EN FLAC (Mauritius), Oct 27 (IANS) Viewing Mauritius as a gateway to engage the African continent, India organised here a major round table on business, focusing on foreign investments. The meet, organised by the Indian and Mauritius governments in association with the the Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC), witnessed participation from 250 delegates from both the nations who used the opportunity to connect with the Indian diaspora, Mauritius citizens and others from the African nations looking to invest in businesses. On the occasion, Mauritius Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection Minister Cader Sayed Hossen said: "We hope through these business interactions, Mauritius may succeed to transit to the next phase of its economic growth. We value the business acumen and expertise of Indian business leaders who can help Mauritius develop its high technological industries." Indian Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Joint Secretary (Diaspora) T.K. Manoj Kumar said: "The Indian community in Mauritius is politically visible, successful, hard working and enterprising. The progress achieved in this round of dialogue with Mauritius has opened opportunities to reach out to

other African nations." "India's global profile has been steadily growing and it is heartening to note that the Indian diaspora in Mauritius extends relentless support in our progress," he said. The round table had three plenary sessions with over 20 interactions on how the Indian diaspora could engage with India and Mauritius, a gateway to Africa. The discussions and presentations focused on the enormous opportunities for Indian diaspora to engage with India in health care, financial services and banking, energy, education and many more sectors. OIFC chief executive officer Sujata Sudarshan said that "the Indian diaspora can play a key role in not only capitalising on economic opportunities in India, but also help build synergies between India and Mauritius and with Mauritius as the gateway to Africa for India." OIFC endeavours to generate a greater momentum towards a deeper, strengthened and diverse partnership between the two countries by promoting business-to-business meetings between the delegates and the representatives of state governments and industry players from India. Enterprise Mauritius chief executive officer Dev Chamroo appealed to the businesses from

both countries to enter into partnerships and use Mauritius to secure their investments in Africa. "Investors should not see Mauritius as a landing strip, but rather like a runway to take-off their businesses worldwide. We would like to create joint ventures with Indian partners to reach the wider African market," he said. Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Mauritius chief executive officer Jocelyn Kwok

said that in the last three years, Indian tourist arrivals were on the rise and flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore had helped tap into that market. "Investment in tourism in Mauritius is significant. The island is definitely growing in the MICE (meeting, incentive, conferences and exhibitions) market, especially for high-end Indian weddings. There is definitely a willingness to grow investment," Kwok said.

Kalam calls for joint action for world peace NEW DELHI, Nov 2 (IANS) Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam called for joint action by a network of universities, government agencies and private sector under the proposed World Knowledge Platform For Global Action to find solutions to global problems for world peace. Speaking at the Beijing Forum 2012 in the Chinese capital, Kalam said: "World Knowledge Platform for Global Action has to emerge as a network of universities, government agencies and private sector with a space for participation of policy makers, students, academia and entrepreneurs." "It should focus on the solution path of identifying global prob-

lems, researching solutions in a multinational manner, delivering through local cooperation and enterprise based approach in the long term for sustainability," Kalam told the Forum inaugural. Kalam said the proposed World Knowledge Platform for Global Action should be funded as an international cooperative venture with dedicated spending to develop customized and scalable solutions of global problems. To free the world of conflicts, every nation should think "bigger than its people and bigger than the nation", he said. Kalam also said that the proposed Global Action network should work to achieve energy independence globally.

Astrology Aries “The Ram” “The Go-Getter” March 21 - April 20 Stars foretell hectic activity in the career sphere this month for you. The time is ripe to put all your best-laid plans into action and stop daydreaming. Your family will support you. However, you might face problems on the career front, but Ganesha feels that you will get over them. Some of you may even change jobs and career paths. Surgery, psychology and money management may attract you. Since there are two eclipses occurring this month, there may be some major changes on the horizon for you. The solar eclipse may bring financial instability in your partner or spouse's life. Children should be careful of physical activities. For those of you going for a surgery should seek a second opinion. The lunar eclipse may bring financial instability in the life of your siblings. It is the right time to correct Vaastu flaws in your home. Best days of the month: 6, 7, 14, 15, 23, 24. Taurus “The Bull” “The Builder” April 21 - May 22 Akin to the last month, you will be active socially, and will continue to seek social support in fulfilling your different goals. Career will, however, remain on the forefront. Your health will continue to improve, thanks to your efforts. However, your health still needs attention till 22nd, especially your kidney, bladder and sexual organs. Put your health above everything else, and don't ignore even minor health issues. Since there is a solar eclipse this month, you need to reduce risky and outdoor activities. The eclipse may also cause disruptions in your family and love life. Pent up emotions may finally burst open, and may lead to the end of a bitter relationship, feels Ganesha. However, relationships that survive this eclipse will last forever. On the home front, try to correct your mistakes. Lunar eclipse signifies financial changes. Best days of the month: 8, 9, 16, 17, 26, 27. Gemini “The Twins” “The Magician” May 23 - June 21 You may remain unstable in your career sphere, and the trend may continue for sometime. The solar eclipse on 13th may make matters worse. Frequent job changes and lack of work satisfaction may plague you, feels Ganesha. However, try to not let this affect your peace of mind. Think about ways to reinvent yourself, as this will benefit you. You may also have to watch your health. Get the defects in your communication gadgets and vehicles repaired, otherwise this may become a serious threat, some way or the other. Technological glitches may also mar your mood. During the lunar eclipse occurring on 28th, you are advised to spend times indoors. On a positive note, the lunar eclipse may influence your financial decisions, which may increase your prosperity. If surgery is recommended, go for a second opinion. Best days of the month: 1, 2, 10, 11, 18, 19, 23, 24. Cancer “The Crab” “The Caterer” June 22 - July 22 Patience shall be the best way to can pass this sluggish period, says Ganesha. Due to the two eclipses taking place this month, you may face many changes, many of them delayed, due to late actions on your part. However, don't jump into the fray without thinking. The solar eclipse, occurring on 13th, however, may be good for you in many ways. But, you should try to stay indoors. Like any other solar eclipse, this eclipse will augur many financial changes. You will be influenced to take financial decisions that will benefit you, but try to play it safe. You should also watch out for the lunar eclipse taking place on 28th. You should spend more time at home or closer to home at that time. Listen to your body, and try to relax. There may be spiritual revelations this month that may change your personality. Best days of the month: 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 21, 22. Leo “The Lion” “The Boss” July 23 - August 22 As a solar eclipse is occurring on 13th, you should monitor your health closely. You shouldn't be reckless about your diet, and should

42 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November 2012

meditate to pacify your mind, advises Ganesha. Spend more time at home with your family to divert your mind away from your problems. Your health will improve after 22nd. The good effect of the solar eclipse this month may signal an end to the long-standing family issues. You should, however, remain patient and calm to avoid complications in personal matters. Also, this is the time to reinvent yourself and change others' perception of you. The lunar eclipse occurring on 28th will also have a positive impact on you. Your friendships will be tested, and you may experience spiritual changes, as happens with any other lunar eclipse. Be careful while driving, and avoid risky activities, though. Best days of the month: 6, 7, 14, 15, 23, 24 Virgo “The Virgin” “The Accountant” August 23 - Sept 22 This month, the focus would be on overall communication and your personal interests. You can make the best use of this period by working to increase your knowledge, taking part in seminars, lectures and workshops. This is also a good time for the people involved in sales, marketing, PR, advertising and media activities. You will also get sufficient time to spend with your near and dear ones. Financial incentives will come your way. There are two eclipses occurring this month, a solar eclipse on 13th and a lunar eclipse on 28th. The solar eclipse may bring positive changes for you, feels Ganesha. Students may change schools or alter their educational plans. Cars and communication gadgets too may be changed. The lunar eclipse, however, does not bode well for you. Avoid stressful activities, and try to stay indoors. Best days of the month: 8, 9, 16, 17, 26, 27. Libra “The Scales”“The Councellor”Sept 23 - October 22 Planets in your horoscope indicate that you will focus on your emotional and personal needs. You have achieved great laurels in your career, but now your inner well-being is what you should focus on, says Ganesha. Spending more time with your loved ones will only bring more love to you. Understand that this wouldn't affect your career. You may also spend on changing your looks. Your health will improve. The solar eclipse on 13th may augur some financial instability. Also, friendships would be tested. Some of the hi-tech equipment may need to be replaced. The lunar eclipse on 28th may bring a crisis of beliefs, and you may alter your thoughts on some subjects and adopt new thoughts. This month would be successful for students, as well as career changes, if any. Best days of the month: 1, 2, 10, 11, 18, 19, 23, 24. Scorpio “The Hydra” “The Psycho Analyst” Oct 23 - Nov 21 This month looks set to bring in a serious change in your attitude towards life. You may now start acting maturely, and may feel concerned about the future, thinks Ganesha. Time may make you realise your responsibilities towards your family. However, at times you may feel lonely, for this transition in you may not be understood by your partner; you may not be able to express your feelings. Go easy on your career goals. The solar eclipse occurs on 13th in your own Sign, and hence you should stay at home and avoid travelling. This may also bring a change in your personal outlook and career. The lunar eclipse occurring on 28th may lead you to some profound experiences. Your spouse's finances may be affected and issues relating to estates, taxes and insurance claims may also prop up. Best days of the month: 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 21, 22. Sagittarius “The Archer” “The Teacher” Nov 22 - Dec 22 The planetary configurations shall make you feel powerful and invincible this month. But you should keep yourself firmly grounded, says Ganesha. Even though you will be elevated to a higher level of independence, you would still respect people. You won't need anybody's favours now. Some things may still require attention, though. You would be seeking directions to use your newfound power. You should be patient and careful in all your dealings.

www.indiantimes.com.au

Avoid restlessness and keep your distance from frustration. The solar eclipse on 13th will bear an effect on you, and may change your outlook towards spirituality. You shall be receptive towards changes. The lunar eclipse on 28th may, however, put your relationship under strain; only the stronger ones may survive. Best days of the month: 6, 7, 14, 15, 23, 24. Capricorn “The Goat” “The Mayor” Dec 23 - January 30 You should be careful of your health. Your hectic schedule will keep you preoccupied. Emotional turbulence is also on the cards. Thanks to the to planetary configurations, you shall experience independence and power to mould circumstances, assures Ganesha. However, with power and independence comes responsibility too, so remember that you will be held accountable for your actions. The solar eclipse on 13th may cause problems in your friendships and professional life. Your place of work may undergo major changes, and your bosses may become more demanding. Issues related to gadgets like computers, laptops or, on a broader level, software may trouble you. Keep your cool under trying circumstances. The lunar eclipse on 28th may let you change your spiritual outlook. Best days of the month: 8, 9, 16, 17, 26, 27. Aquarius “The Water Bearer” “The Innovator” Jan 21 Feb 19 You may be occupied with a plethora of issues, but you may not have the required energy to do justice to all the tasks. Hence you should prioritise work. Health issues will require more attention till 22nd, cautions Ganesha. The solar eclipse on the 13th will only make things more difficult. Looming deadlines may stress you out. Try to find time to relax and unwind, as this will help you perform better. Also, there may be major upheavals at your workplace and you may even change your job or career path. Take special care while dealing with your superiors. The solar eclipse will also have a bearing on your love life; your partner may need your constant support. The lunar eclipse on 28th may again test your love relationship; you need patience to tide over this period. Best days of the month: 1, 2, 10, 11, 18, 19, 23, 24. Pisces “The Fish” “The Social Worker” Feb 20 - March 20 Retrograde movement of planets may cause some delays, but by the end of this month things may change considerably for the better. You may travel this month, but foreign travel would be best avoided. However, if unavoidable, you should be very careful during your entire trip. There is a solar eclipse occurring on 13th. Around that time, avoid travel completely. Be prepared to deal with some major transformations that you may undergo this month. Students, too, may face a few changes. Remain careful in the sphere of health too. The lunar eclipse on 28th may have a strong effect on you. Try to stay indoors. There may be crisis in your family domain; stay internally detached, if possible. Best days of the month: 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 21, 22.

www.ganeshaspeaks.com Disclaimer: This is only a guide and is not directed towards any particular individual and the writer shall not be responsible for anything to do with the articles content.

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Panoramic, 360-degree world of Norfolk Island Story and photos by Rama Gaind

Winery on the eastern side of the island against the backdrop of luscious tropical rainforest. It is Norfolk’s first and only boutique vineyard and winery established by Noelene McAlpine and her husband, Rod, in 2003. Meet Dino and Helen Bosley at Dino’s Restaurant, and along with enjoying a superb meal, find out about their “love of India”.

here’s a wealth of balance in the 360-degree T world on Norfolk Island. You’ll feel privileged as you stand at the summit of Mount Pitt

and catch spectacular panoramic views of the entire island and the surrounding ocean. In the heart of the Norfolk National Park, this 318-metre-high peak is the highest point (together with Mount Bates). Savour the Scenic beauty moment…as there aren’t many places in the Norfolk is eight kilometres by five kilometres world where you can observe the whole country with 170 kilometres of roads, no public transfrom the one point. port and a surprising number of things to do for An untouched and unspoiled island, Norfolk is such a small place. rich in experiences, a destination where there’s Scenic views also abound from the top of more to do and see than people realise. Ideal for Captain Cook’s lookout and marvel at families and couples wanting to go on long Cyclorama, the 360-degree giant panoramic weekend escapes, direct flights can get you there painting that follows the story of the Bounty in just over two hours from Sydney and and its crew. Brisbane. Driving is stress-free, with hardly any traffic, Norfolk is a pristine, petite island of 3455 one roundabout, no traffic lights, a 50-kilometre hectares sitting splendidly in the Pacific Ocean, speed limit (30 kilometres in school zones), east of the Australian mainland and 1063 kiloseatbelts were only introduced a year ago and metres from Auckland. you must not forget to practise your ‘Norfolk You’ll be amicably surprised by its amiability, • Spectacular views can be seen from Mount Pitt, a high point in the Norfolk Island Nationalwave’ by acknowledging the passing driver with warmth, openness, and an appealing eccentricity. Park. Photo: Rama Gaind the gentle lift of the hand or one finger. Norfolk Island was where the “worst of the Roads have quaint names; phone numbers are stands guard on Slaughter Bay, and comprises a golf course worst” convicts were sent, for this was an infamous prison and a cemetery where the headstone inscriptions impart five digits long; the residents are listed in the telephone in the British Empire in the 1800s. Discovered by Captain unsettling stories. book by their nicknames; and be fascinated by the special James Cook in 1774, the British used it as a penal colony, According to the curator of the Norfolk Island Museum lilting Norf’k language. twice. Don’t forget to take your passport when you visit this selfLisa Richards, “you can literally immerse yourself in the The island is inhabited by descendants of the original amazing stories of Norfolk Island in our museums at governing, external territory of Australia. It’s a tax haven mutineers from Captain Bligh’s ill-fated voyage on the Kingston—spanning Polynesian and two penal settlements, where tourism is the only source of income. Bounty. You’ll be bowled over by Norfolk’s sheer evergreen, to the current Bounty mutiny descendants here today”. The original township of Kingston, which is in the world Indian family sprawling magnificence! heritage-listed Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic area, still With a population of 1800—no, make that 1700 at present as the other 100 are working off-shore—I was not surprised Rama Gaind was a guest of Norfolk Island Tourism and Air to learn that there are a few families of Indian origin living New Zealand. on the island. I spent a delightful afternoon with Pramod Narayan and his family. Born and bred in Fiji with ancestors from Baroda in India, he came to Norfolk in January 2008 to work for a hotel until it changed hands. He continues to work in the hospitality industry along with his wife, Sharmila. Their three children also enjoy the island’s beautiful natural surrounds: Pooja, 19, who is working towards becoming a dental nurse; Neha, 16, is in Year 11 at the Central school and Akash, 13, is in Year 8. Island highlights Here you’ll find a very special breed of cow—Norfolk Blue—that is not found anywhere else in the world. This heritage brand was evolved on the island. Robyn Menghetti first noticed the cattle were blue and blue and white. Along with her husband, Paul, they set up a breeding program. Now the meat is supplied to their award-winning Norfolk Blue Homestead Restaurant Grill & Bar. Robyn points out: “We are very particular as we manage from not just paddock-to-plate, but from conception-to• Pramod and Sharmila Narayan, seated, surrounded by their plate as well”. children Neha, left, Akash and Pooja at their home on Norfolk Take time out to visit the prize-winning Two Chimneys • Spectacular views across the Pacific Ocean and beyond from Endeavour Lodge on Norfolk Island. Photo: Rama Gaind

Island. Photo: Rama Gaind

Finding last resting place for Indians in Gulf: Vayalar Ravi

World's longest married couple is from Punjab

NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (IANS) To ease the legal troubles and logistical hassles of families of Indians who die in the Gulf countries, India has funded half of the $1.64-million funeral home project of the Indian community living in Sharjah following a plea made to Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi. The Indian government's share in the project comes to about $820,000 and the funds have been released for the project through the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF). "There is going to be a funeral place in Sharjah (third largest city in the United Arab Emirates) for which I also paid money. It is a funeral ground for Indians from all religions. It is an Indian community project there. It is a good thing," Ravi told IANS in an interview. "They asked me for some financial help and I paid 50 per cent. They have started work and we have already paid the money," he said at

LONDON, Nov 1 (IANS) Karam Chand and his wife Katari, who have eight children and 28 grandchildren, have been married for 87 years, making them the world's longest married couple. The pair say that the key to success is looking after each other in every way possible: "My trick is to make Katari laugh. I like to tell jokes and make her smile. Being funny is my way of being romantic," says 107-yearold Karam. From romantic meals to sharing jokes, the couple, who hail from Punjab, India and now live in Bradford ensure that they do little things for each other to keep the romance alive, the Daily Mail reported. "When I was young I used to make him a nice fresh meal every night. We are vegetarians so I brought lots of fresh vegetables and made sure he was eating

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

his Akbar Bhavan office here. The ICWF is maintained by Indian embassies and consulates to assist distressed Indians in their host countries and the budgetary allocations for the fund are made by the Ministry of Overseas Indian affairs (MOIA). In September Ravi had expanded the scope of the ICWF to cover penalties in case of overstay or detention, apart from financial support to set up community centres in host countries. The funeral centre at Sharjah is coming up at a cost of Emirati Dirham (Dh) six million, of which Dh3 million has been paid from the ICWF to the Indian Association Sharjah, which is executing the project. The work on the project has already begun. The Indian community in the UAE records just over 1,200 deaths annually. But families of the dead find it difficult to bring the body back to India due to legal issues involved and the high cost of air travel. In view of these hassles, the

Indian community has been seeking help from the government in New Delhi to prevail upon the Gulf nations to allow them to hold the funeral in the host nations. The MOIA has also recently given funds for upgrading an existing funeral centre at Abu Dhabi, the second largest city in the UAE. India had in April requested the UAE to provide land for a funeral home for Indians residing in that country when their external affairs ministers met in New Delhi for bilateral talks. The Indian government also plans to make a similar plea to other governments in the Gulf region, where around six million Indian citizens live and work. The funeral centre projects may help fulfil the wishes of many third generation Indians living in the Gulf countries to make those nations their last resting place.

www.indiantimes.com.au

healthy food," said Katari, who is 100 years old. Their marriage has lasted nearly five years longer than that of the current Guinness World Record holders and the couple are in the process of getting confirmation from the company that they will be named as the new record holders, the Mail said.

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 43

Real Estate Is Our World 2 YEARS OLD - FEATURES GALORE!

WALK TO WESTFIELD CHERMSIDE

ASPLEY $379,000

BOONDALL $499,000

1/4 ACRE WITH SHEDS!

NORTH FACING BLOCK!

BOONDALL Offers Over $390,000

BOONDALL Offers Over $265,000

THROW AWAY YOUR CAR KEYS!

PET FRIENDLY COMPLEX!

SANDGATE Offers Over $299,000

TAIGUM Offers Over $299,000

“ALL THE BELLS & WHISTLES”

BOONDALL Offers Over $530,000 MEMBER

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland

44 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

FULLY RENOVATED - 688m2 BLOCK!

ZILLMERE $399,000

ww.globenetrealty.com.au (07) 3865 4466 Shop 5, 2281 Sandgate Rd, Boondall, Qld 4034 www.indiantimes.com.au

Usha Chandra 0419 775 416 Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Real Estate News Kitchen chaos off the menu Sue Green - domain.com.au ONCE a place where mum cooked while the kids did homework in the study and dad relaxed in the lounge, the new kitchen is the centrepiece of many homes. Gone are the benches cluttered with spice jars and appliances - even the workspaces for mixing and chopping. Increasingly, butler's pantries or kitchens concealed until needed are where food preparation happens and the kitchen itself is a centre of family and social life. ''The kitchen now is known as the centrepiece or the stage and is where everything happens,'' says Max Loche, Simonds Homes' new product range manager. With laptops and tablets replacing desktop computers, buyers want a study nook not a separate study, and a built-in desk beside the kitchen bench: ''They have an iPad or laptop there and look up a recipe; kids can do a bit of study there,'' Mr Loche says. ''Technology is actually driving design.'' For architects David and Jacqui Wagner of Atelier Wagner the kitchen-dining area is a multipurpose room, used for meetings. The kitchen is virtually invisible, appliances concealed behind cupboard doors. Linda Simons of LSA Architects says that even when the kitchen was a separate room, it was always where the family congregated, the more so as kitchens became part of the informal living area. Now, ''the kitchen is the visual centre for entertaining and family life'', she says. ''Technology in the kitchen, I believe, has

gone past the desk in the kitchen. Wireless technology means that the iPad can be used for recipes and the telephone area and associated mess are not wanted in the sleek new kitchen look.'' So where is the mess? Increasingly, it is confined to the adjoining butler's pantry, with its benchtops and sinks, fridge, dishwasher, microwave, even separate stove. ''The butler's pantry has gained in popularity and importance with the design trend away from having separate formal dining rooms,'' Simons says. ''It is rare that formal dining rooms are designed into homes, even in the luxury custom home market, with preference given to use this room as a separate media room. ''This then pushes the dining/entertaining functions of the home into the family meals area. ''The kitchen itself has become a sleek, beautifully lit area of glossy surfaces and stone detailing, which highlights prestigious appliances but hides away more everyday items with integration.'' And while butler's pantries were initially the preserve of the wealthy, then also of architect-designed and custom homes, building companies say they are now sought at all levels. Metricon's general manager of marketing, Yvonne Abood, says extended kitchens and butler's pantries are popular extras. ''Kitchens that integrate into the rest of the home are a key design element in Metricon designs,'' she says. ''Every kitchen is designed specifically to work with the

rooms that surround it. ''Our kitchens may include butler's pantries, some have extended workbenches, some have island benches. Some have

professional-size appliances that are all on show; others want to be able to fold away or hide appliances when they are not in use. We find kitchen designs, like homes, are very much driven by lifestyle.''

Poor analysis will leave consumers unprotected THE Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has told the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) that the proposed new national licensing regulations for the real estate profession will rip away vital consumer protections for very limited benefit. REIA President Ms Pamela Bennett says, “In our response, submitted today, we’ve made it clear that COAG’s Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) made no attempt to quantify the cost to consumers flowing from the proposed removal of commercial property licensing and the abolition of continued professional development (CPD).” “Stunningly poor analysis of our profession was undertaken before COAG made these proposals and we’ve outlined our recommendations for moving forward on national licensing.” “Clearly those responsible for developing the RIS have not understood the variety of roles that must be undertaken by real estate agents and have set the education bar far too low. We want to see agents with diploma level qualifications.” “When it comes to training, the experience of Western Australia shows that mandatory CPD greatly reduces the number of complaints received across the spectrum of real estate activity, thus reducing consumer costs,” added Ms Bennett. “CPD is currently employed by the finan-

cial services sector, accountants and lawyers in Australia and used for the real estate profession in jurisdictions comparable to Australia. This would see Australia adopting the international best practice employed in the USA, New Zealand and Singapore.” “The RIS also proposes de-regulating nonresidential property which is madness when you consider that that almost 70% of all commercial property sales are under $1 million. These are so-called “Mum and Dad” investors and if commercial property transactions are not licensed, these consumers are left open to enormous financial risk.” “REIA wants the status quo option for property industry licensing to allow a revision of the RIS and because REIA supports national licensing, subsequent reconsideration through the second tranche – the tranche dealing with other property related professions such as valuation and conveyancing. There’s a lot of work to do before we get it right and we do not believe consumers or the profession can benefit with the proposal as it stands.” “REIA hopes the meeting of the Occupational Licensing Advisory Committee will genuinely consider our submission and not continue to push a preordained conclusion” Ms Bennett added. REIA

World Renown Economist Hernando de Soto Presents at FIABCI 63rd World Congress FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation, hosted its 2012 World Congress in St. Petersburg, Russia in May. The FIABCI 63rd World Congress attracted over 800 global leaders from the real estate and other related industries with an exciting program of cutting edge and timely information. Following an Exciting Opening Ceremony program, the Keynote Speaker, worldrenowned Economist Hernando de Soto, President of the Institute for Liberty and Democray, presented his views and thoughts to a room overflowing with close Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

to 1,000 World Congress participants. His pioneering work on behalf of property rights for the poor have led to global acclaim and recognition. de Soto is known for his revolutionary thinking and his focus on the relationship between property rights and economic development. de Soto's speech, "Property Rights and Political Rights: The Way Forward," focused on the concept that the lack of formal property rights is the source of poverty in many countries. This, in turn, has caused a direct effect on the global economic environment that presently exists. www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 45

Real Estate News Are 'man caves' becoming an Australian property trend? By Amanda Haack propertyobserver.com.au AS a female, I am forever intrigued by the increasingly popular concept of the man cave. It would seem there are men purchasing property specifically for its man cave feasibility. Adequate space for an overpriced vintage jukebox – check; sufficient hanging space for a deluge of sporting memorabilia cleverly purchased sans spouse-approval – check; appropriate radius surrounding championship-size pool table to accommodate championship-style pool playing – check; self-cleaning capability – I’m told they’re working on that. And I’m told the single most important attribute of a man cave is of course the games console. I shouldn’t be surprised. Habitats of this sort date back to the days of hunting for food with one’s bare hands, although I note this particular activity has been selectively left behind in the current caveman days. Its evolution has been quite incredible. It was an article recently published in the Courier Mail that really sparked my interest. It seems the men of Sydney are splashing extraordinary amounts of cash around when it comes to perfecting their private abode. We’re talking mini-cinemas, 12-car garages and jaw-dropping technology to boot. We can’t forget where it likely originated from – our friends in America. The National Association of Realtors recently shared the ultimate example. The home of

refrained from using the label itself. Just one example: a stunning waterfront property located at Hope Island on the Gold Coast includes an open-air cinema, indoor and outdoor bar and retractable flat screens. Does it increase the value of the property? Where does it end? Do we start taking proximity to the nearest watering hole into consideration? Is it an appropriate stumbling distance? I’m starting to sense a trend here. As for me, a suite of stainless steel Miele appliances beats a 12-car garage any day. Is it possible that man caves are becoming a prerequisite for potential buyers? I apologise to all the ladies out there whose partners have read this blog and consequently decided to install thumb-scanning technology for shed or exclusive bar access. Amanda Haack is events manager journal deputy editor at the Real Estate Institute of Queensland. This article originally appeared on the REIQ blog. the one and only Burt Reynolds, of course. Arguably a pioneer of the man cave concept and every interior decorator’s worst nightmare, Reynolds has gone to extreme lengths to style his abode in the most male-appropriate fashions. It had me wondering, how many of these gems do we have in Queensland? So I did some research. I found at least three properties on reiq.com that were promoting the inclusion of a man cave in the property description. There are a few with features that strongly indicate the presence of mancave-esque stylings – while they have

Westfield co-founder Frank Lowy inducted into Australian Property Hall of Fame By Larry Schlesinger propertyobserver.com.au FRANK Lowy, the cofounder and chairman of the Westfield Group, has been inducted into the newly launched Australian Property Hall of Fame. Lowy received the industry honour in front of 600 guests at the Property Council’s Property Congress gala dinner in Sydney on 31 October. The Australian Property Hall of Fame has been established by the Property Council of Australia to "honour individuals for their major pioneering contribution, sustained leadership and lasting legacy to the property industry and Australian society". Lowy founded what was later to become Westfield alongside fellow Hungarian immigrant John Saunders. Their first venture as business partners was in a small sandwich selling partnership until they set up their own delicatessen in Blacktown. They opened their first shopping centre, Westfield Place in July 1959. Lowy came to Australia with his family via

Israel in the early 1950s having survived the Nazi occupation of Hungary. Lowy was inducted alongside the late Dick Dusseldorp, founder and chairman, of Lend Lease Corporation and the late Ray Powys, AMP’s first property investment manager and founding president and inaugural CEO of the forerunner to the Property Council, the Building Owners and Managers Association. Property Council National President Darren Steinberg said each of the three inductees were giants of the industry. “The Australian Property Hall of Fame acknowledges property industry pioneers whose astonishing imagination, unbridled energy and keen entrepreneurial talents transformed Australia into a dynamic, prosperous society,” Steinberg said. “The inaugural inductees not only shaped Australia’s urban landscape, they helped unleash an aspirational ethos and vitality that defines our national identity.”

Logan Central tops list of Brisbane suburbs with top unit yields By Alistair Walsh propertyobserver.com.au LOGAN Central is the Brisbane suburb with the greatest yields for units, according to RP Data figures. With a median price of $150,000 and a median rent of $250, units in the suburb hav a median gross rental yield of 8.7%. According to the 2011 census the suburb has a population of 6,172 up from 5,592 in 2006. The census shows 26.5% of Logan Central’s 2,308 dwellings are flats, units or apartments. Logan Central is the central business district of Logan City, 20 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD. A search of real estate listings reveal no apartments priced below $165,000. The cheapest unit currently available is 3/10 Blackwood Road with a negotiable asking price of $165,000. The two-bedroom townhouse is in a complex of six properties. It comes with a second toilet and a single car park. The property is being marketed by Meryl Woods from Run Property Springwood, who says it could earn $230 per week. If it sells for $165,000 this would give a gross yield of 7.25%. It last sold for $105,000 in 2004. According to RP Data median unit prices have dropped 42.7% over the last year. In September, REIQ figures showed prices had dropped 15% over the quarter but were up 10.9% for the year. Local agents say the price fluctuations have been due in part to new develop-

ments in the area, but prices are down. In September, local agent John Ahern from John Ahern Real Estate Slacks Creek told Property Observer prices were actually down around 15% for the year. “The peak of the market was in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and then prices started trending slightly downwards during 2010, and by 2011 and 2012 prices tended to drop a little further,” Ahern says. “They’ve dropped about 15% from their peak over the last 18 months or so.” Agent Marian Grimsey from Professionals Logan Lifestyles Browns Plains and Marsden told Property Observer prices are desperately down from two years ago. Apartment 7 at 28 Defiance Road is on the market looking for offers over $175,000. It’s being sold by Ioan Vancia also from Run Property, who says the unit is leased at $225 per week and could earn $260 per week plus. This would put the yield at around 7.7%. It hasn’t sold since 1989, when it traded for $60,000. It was last on the market in 2009 listed at $199,000, discounted from $212,000. Unit 4 at 13 Blackwood Road is listed at $179,000 through Tracey Child from All Properties Group. It’s currently rented at $250 per week giving a gross yield of 7.3%. It last traded for $140,000 in 2005. It was last on the market every year since then with an asking price of $220,000 in 2010. The Brisbane suburb with the next highest yields for units was Brookwater at 8.4% and Goodna at 8.2%.

Demand for fixed-rate mortgages climbs to six-month high: Mortgage Choice By Larry Schlesinger propertyobserver.com.au AS lenders continue to cut fixed-rates, demand for this mortgage type rose to a sixmonth high, according to October mortgage approval figures from Mortgage Choice. Over the month, 22% of all new home loans taken out by new borrowers via a Mortgage Choice broker were for fixed rates, just above the 12-month average of 21%. The most recent lender to cut its fixed-rate mortgages was Credit Union Australia (CUA), the nation’s biggest customerowned lender, which dropped its one, two and three-year fixed rate home loans to

5.3% this week, following moves by other lenders throughout the month. Currently, three lenders offer a one-year fixed rate home loan under 5% while Mortgage Choice says seven lenders on its panel dropped their fixed-rate loans over the past week (week ending 2 November). Of those borrowers who did lock in a fixed-rate, the most popular term (74% of all fixed-rate home loans) was three years, followed by two-years (16%). Only 5% of fixed-rate borrowers chose a one-year fixed rate term. “Following speculation last month of fewer rate cuts to come this year, and the latest CPI data hinting at less rate activity, it comes as no surprise that borrowers are tak-

46 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

ing advantage of the good fixed rate loan offers available. By securing their interest rate they are also locking in peace of mind over the next few years," says Mortgage Choice spokesperson Belinda Williamson. The Mortgage Choice October figures also show a considerable uplift in the preference for ongoing discount rates loans, reaching 40% of all new loans approved. This follows two consecutive monthly drops in demand in August and September. “There was a downward trend on the popularity of discount rates loans – where the loan is discounted over the entire loan term – in the months before October, as economists were predicting a number of rate cuts by the Reserve Bank before the end of the

www.indiantimes.com.au

year,” says Williamson. “This month appeared to buck this trend however, as we saw an increase in ongoing discount rate loan appeal. As the talk of further rate cuts dries up, this increase shows more borrowers are now shopping around for long-term bargains.” Standard variable rate loan demand fell by three percentage points to 15% of all new loan approvals, while the preference for basic variable rates remained steady at 19%. Demand for line of credit loans - popular with investors - fell by one percentage point to 3% and introductory rate popularity remained at less than 1%. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Real Estate News Homebuyers confident of market upswing More than three-quarters of Australians believe flat property prices and tumbling interest rates make now the right time to buy a home, a survey shows. THE Commonwealth Bank-Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) home finance index, found 75.8 per cent of people believed house prices would grow or remain stable between now and the end of the year. Moreover, the survey found 77.9 per cent of respondents believed now was a good time to buy, with Australian households at their highest level of financial confidence since May 2011. MFAA chief executive Phil Naylor said all signs pointed to a recovery in the property market. "The property market is all about confidence and the survey confirms that good times are ahead, especially as interest rates continue to fall," Mr Naylor said in a statement. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lowered the cash rate to 3.25 per cent at its October board meeting and market economists have forecast further interest rate cuts in the months ahead. Separately, a recent report from RP DataRismark showed capital city property prices had risen for the fourth straight month in September. The CBA-MFAA report said the vast majority of home loan borrowers were finding it easier to make mortgage repayments than they were six months ago. "The up-tick in homebuyers' optimism is being driven by flat property prices and continuing falls in interest rates, creating a 'buyer's market'," it said.

Population spurring rise in housing demand

The report also found 63 per cent of first homebuyers believed now was a good time to buy as property prices represented "good value" and interest rates were low. "Many first homebuyers now realise that it is cheaper to buy than rent a property in some suburbs and this augurs well for growth in the bottom end of the market," CBA executive general manager of third party and mobile banking Kathy Cummings said in a statement. The survey comprised responses from 1,423 people. AAP

All first home buyers should receive grant THE Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) urges the Federal Treasurer to defend the rights of first home buyers who are purchasing existing homes. REIA is concerned about the stance taken by New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia in their announcements to only provide assistance to first home buyers who are purchasing new homes. REIA President Ms Pamela Bennett says, “Not only is this in breach of the InterGovernmental Agreement (IGA) but it ignores the evidence that 70% of first home buyers have a clear preference for established houses.” “The IGA clearly states that assistance to first home buyers will be uniform and that an eligible home will be new or established.”

“First home buyers make up 17.7% of the market. REIA strongly urges the Federal Treasurer, Wayne Swan, not to agree with the states’ requests for an amendment to the IGA and effectively ignore the needs of this considerable section of the buyer’s market.” “The socio-economic demographic of most first home buyers shows a clear preference to live close to existing facilities and work as opposed to buying in new housing estates. Lifestyle, public transport and commuting are just a few of the factors concerning those entering the market.” “Furthermore, first home buyers of established homes often embark on a program of home-improvement and renovation, which helps stimulate the building sector,” concluded Ms Bennett.

POPULATION growth is now at 1.49% - the highest rate of growth since the last quarter of 2009 - and net overseas migration is at the highest level in two years. The country's rate of net migration is now 18% higher than 2011, and each state has seen an increase in the level of overseas migration. New South Wales and Victoria have attracted the greatest numbers of migrants overall, but Western Australia has lured the highest number of overseas newcomers (up 49% on 2011) on the back of the resources boom. Head of RP Data research and analytics, Tim Lawless, says migration is helpung accelerating the housing market. "Historically, Queensland has attracted the lion’s share of interstate migrants, but since 2010 Western Australia and Queensland have been recording fairly similar numbers of net interstate migrants," he said. "Looking forward, we can expect population growth to continue to increase across Australia. If the Department of Immigration forecasts are anything to go by, we are likely to see higher levels of population growth over the coming years on the back of further overseas migration." This could herald good news for the building industry and landlords, who are both in a position to support new arrivals with housing needs. RPDATA

ALL NEW PRICE LIST Unbelievable Carindale vvalue Unbelievable alue. Price reductions reductions up to $85,000

BUY NOW!

VISIT OUR ONSITE SALES CENTRE Greendale Way, Carindale UBD Map 182 D-12

1300 789 001

www.hilltopcarindale.com.au Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 47

Business Directory 22K GOLD JEWELLERY SPECIALISTS

CIVIL MARRIAGE CELEBRANT

ENTERTAINMENT

PARMA NAND - CIVIL MARRIAGE CELEBRANT, JP For friendly, unique, reliable and professional marriage, renewal of vows, commitment, engagement and birthday ceremonies including master of ceremonies. “Specialist of inter-racial marriage ceremonies”

Ph: 0411 127 035 or A/H (07) 3279 1117 Email: parmanand@optusnet.com.au

AIR CONDITIONING / REFRIGERATION SERVICES

FASHION OUTLETS

Shirley Pande Young Professional (ACQ) Civil Marriage Celebrant JP (Q) Weddings Baby Naming's Renewal of Vows Commitment Ceremonies Engagements Birthdays Legal Legitimate

Mobile: 0434 636 580 Email: shel_12_rose@hotmail.com

Lekh Ram Sukh

Civil Marriage Celebrant, JP (Qual) Ph/Fax: (07) 3287 7132 - Mob: 0421 351 061 E: lekhram@tpg.com.au www.lrams.com

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

BEAUTY SERVICES

DANCE CLASSES

ENTERTAINMENT

HAIR & BEAUTY SERVICES

HERBALLIFE DISTRIBUTOR

CATERING

DAWAT Catering & Equipment Hire We cater for all special events / occasions and offer onsite catering or we can come to your venue. If your planning to cook yourself, we have everything you need available for hire. e.g Crockery, plates, glasses, pots, rice cookers + much more!

We are contactable 24-7! 0421 070 803 dawatindian@hotmail.com Find us on facebook www.dawat.com.au 48 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

DJ DESI - Bollywood/Indian DJ

www.djdesi.com.au

www.indiantimes.com.au

0413 507 078

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

JEWELLER

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY

MIGRATION SERVICES

PLUMBER SERVICES

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

RELIGIOUS SERVICES For all Vedic Sanskaar Sanskrit prayers: Hawans, Weddings, Death rites; new homes, anniversaries, birthdays etc Pandit Dr G A Tularam 0410 649 736

PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY

TABLA LESSONS

Pinal Patel PHOTO VISION WEDDING VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPHY Mob: 0433 730 345 UNREEL EYES - VIDEO/PHOTO. Your Eyes - My Lens...Weddings, Events, Parties, Love Stories, Videography & Photography. Call 1300 308 618 or visit www.unreeleyes.com - E: info@unreeleyes.com Find us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/unreeleyes

BOOK YOUR BUSINESS DIRECTORY TODAY! LISTINGS START FROM $11 P/M CONTACT admin@indiantimes.com.au

Classifieds....

BUSINESSES FOR SALE

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES

!" !"#$%&'#%()#!%** #$%&'#%()#!%**

+,-.#,#/0.12#13,03#45#64/. +,-.#,#/0.12#13,03#45#64/ # # /. . (432#,#7899.074,6#76.,545:# (432#,#7899.074,6#76.,545:# /0,57241. /0,57241. tŽƌŬ Ăƚ ŶŝŐŚƚ͕ ĂŌĞƌ ŚŽƵƌƐ tŽƌŬ Ăƚ ŶŝŐŚƚ͕ ĂŌĞƌ ŚŽƵƌƐ ",05#.;30,#7,12 ",05#.;30,#7,12 *3,03#<432#,#68<#=.>8143 *3,03#<432#,#68<#=.>8143 POSITIONS VACANT

!"##$%&''$()($'(& ! !!$"#$%&'$())"#$$*"(+ GRANGE office for rent: A fully fitted out office, to suit doctors or dentist available for immediate lease. All inquiries to Usha Chandra 0421 388 465.

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

!"##$$% %&''$$( ()($$' '(& THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 49

WHAT’S ON!

Brisbane Indian Times proudly serving the Multicultural Community since 2003 - proudly sponsor What’s On section!

NOV 12 / DEC 12

Associations / Places of Worship... AUM - Arya Pratinidhai Sabha of Qld Inc. Vedic Yajna (Havan) Venue: Finnish Hall, 62 Newnham Road, Mt Gravatt. November 17 2-4pm November 10 Deepawali celebration 6-9pm Free entry Tune to Radio Brisvaani on Sundays 7-7.30am for Vedic Sandesh Program. Read about Vedas in this paper. Contact: Jitendra Deo 3263 1914 or Hari Chand 3345 4716 or log on www.aryasamajqueensland.com for further information. Brahma Kumaris Australia, Mermaid Waters Offers Free meditation courses, Free positive awareness courses and Free afternoon retreats. Contact 5575 2126 or email goldcoast@au.bkwsu.org BRISBANE BELIEVERS FELLOWSHIP “Expect Great things from the Lord and Attempt Great things for the Lord”. Address: Zillmere Community Hall, 54 Handsford Rd, Zillmere. Worship time: Every Sunday at 9.30 AM. Activities: Holy Communion (First Sunday of the Month), Sunday school, Fasting Prayer, Youth Meeting, Bible Study and Ladies Meeting. Contact:Pastor John Thomas & Mary Thomas Sanju P. (Secretary) Phone: 0402 551 220 / 0402 907 776 or 0422 815 782 Email: maryhoney59@hotmail.com Brisbane Christian Assembly, Herston, QLD. Expect a miracle from God, Come and pray for any need in your life, with us in Herston (near RCH Hospital) every Saturday from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. We are praying and God has been doing miracles in many people’s life. Contact Pastor Prakash Jacob 07 3162 5207 or 0413 347 562. Brisbane Christian AssemblyAddress: 5/15 Aberleigh Road, Herston QLD 4006 Pastor: Prakash Jacob Events: Prayer, Fellowship, Worship, Adult Bible Study, Kids Bible Study, Love in Action, and much more.. Saturday Schedules: 6:00pm-7:00pm: Kids Bible Study, 7:00pm-09:00pm: Intercessory Prayer Sunday Schedules: 10:00am-01:00pm: Worship in Truth & Spirit, Bible Study, Prayer, etc. Email: prakashjacob@yahoo.com Ph: 07-31625207, 0413347562 Brisbane Malayalee Association Brisbane Malayalee Association (BMA) represents the Malayalee community in and around the city of Brisbane to preserve and maintain the Kerala culture and heritage. BMA is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious cultural organisation that has a constitution and by-laws. BMA provides a forum for the Malayalees residing in Brisbane and neighbouring areas to meet and exchange views and to foster their friendship, goodwill, moral, social, educational, literary, artistic and cultural heritage. For more information contact Secretary Rajni Nair on 0431 299 376 or President Gigie George on 0432 510 045 brisbane.malayaleeassociation@gmail.com www.brisbanemalayalee.org Brisbane Multinational Church NEW ADDRESS - 757 Gympie Road Lawnton. Church service time if from 9.30am to 11.30am. Special times of prayer for the sick Next healing meeting is on 27 May. We will be praying for people with all kinds of sicknesses, needs, spiritual problems etc. This will be followed by free lunch, service time 9.30am -12 noon.For more information please contact Pastor Joseph Dass on 0424 180 240 or Assistant Pastor Shrish Chand on 0450 612 304. Brisbane Sikh Temple (Gurdwara) 2679 Logan Rd, Eight Mile Plains. www.brisbanesikhtemple.org.au Brisbane Sikh Temple is open 7days a week, free food (langar is served daily) Sunday Service is from 9am to 1pm. Weekdays evening service is from 6pm to 7pm including meditation. Mr Baljit Singh Secretary of Brisbane Sikh Temple (for all bookings enquiries) Ph: 0412 057 554, Email: secretary@brisbanesikhtemple.org.au Gianni Kuldeep Singh Priest of Brisbane Sikh Temple (for all religious functions) Ph: 0422 705 936 Email: priest@brisbanesikhtemple.org.au Brisbane Tamil School – Holland Park State School, Bapume Road, Holland Park. For more information on the School please contact President B. Saravanan – saranb@bigpond.com or visit www.brisbanetamilschool.org Burnie Brae, a Senior Citizen’s Centre in Chermside, are pleased to advise the start of a special social programme for Indian Senior Citizens. We meet on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month. It is an opportunity to socialise, participate in a variety of activities and enjoy some delicious vegetarian meals. Transport maybe provided to and from the Day Social Club if you live near the Centre. If you have any queries please contact Sandra or Naomi on 07 36242141 Chinmaya Mission Australia – Family programs every Sunday morning at Holland Park State High School from 10am-11.45am. Balahivar classes for children and teenagers and gita classes for adults are conducted under the guidance of spiritual teacher, Bramachari Gopal Chaitanya. Please visit www.chinmaya.com.au or email brisbane.info@chinmaya.com.au Eben-Ezer Pentecostal Church, Brisbane – Sunday School, Prayer & Fasting, Youth meeting & worship (Malayalam) Contact: Pastor Mathew Tharian

50 - BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

07 3165 7617, 0431 413 482 or Eng. Victor George 07 3359 8946, 0413 069 477. Fiji Senior Citizens’ Satsang Association of Qld Inc 1 Kensington Place, Wishart 4122. Monthly meetings will be held on th last Sunday of the month at 2pm. All members are invited to attend. For further information contact President Surendra Prasad OAM 3849 5435, Secretary Raymond Saran 3290 0653 or Treasurer Surya Narayan 3208 5823 Forest Lake AOG Church Hindi Service - Second Sunday of every month commencing @ 4.30pm. Cnr of Alpine Place & Forest Lake Boulevard Road. Contact Sudesh on 0401 519 541. Hindi Speaking Christian Fellowship Meets at 2.30 p.m. last Sunday of each month at Merthyr Uniting Church, 52 Merthyr Rd, New Farm All welcome. Contact Irene 3715 8659. Hindu Mandir Association of Queensland Shree Laxmi Narayan Mandir NEW ADDRESS - 46 Daymar Street, Burbank Qld Every Sunday 4pm to 6pm - Bhajan/Kirtan, Pravachan by Pt Tripathi Ji, Arati and Dinner is provided. Every 1st Sunday of month from 2-4pm - Program by Brisbane Bhajan Group. All welcome. Website: www.laxminarayan.com.au For further information contact: Resident Priest 07 3216 8848, Rakesh Sharma 0411 289 202 Hindu Society of Queensland Inc. Gayatri Mandir (178 Lyndhurst Rd, Boondall). Gayatri Mandir opens every Sunday from 8am to 11am. Mandir opens with Punditji. Weekly Programs & Mandir Openings: • Every Tuesday from 7pm - Ramayan & Bhajan recitals • Every 2nd & 4th Friday from 7.00pm – Ramayan & Bhajan Recitals. • Open Every Sunday from 9.00am – 12.00pm For further information contact President Prakash Shandil 0408 879 414 Hindustani Language School conducts lessons in Hindustani language and Indian Culture every Saturday from 2pm to 4pm, at both its major centres at Calamvale Community Intermediate College, 11 Hamish Street, Calamvale and Boondall State School, Roscommon Rd, Boondall. Hindi is our mother tongue. Students of all ages wishing to learn: * Hindi Language *Indian Culture * Dance & Drama * Music * Leadership and Personal Development Contact: Secretary Jay Haripersad on 3243 7062 - Vice President Mul Chand on Mobile 0418 461 960 - or President Sarat Maharaj on 3263 2093 or Mobile 0407 111 709 Indian Church Service News Every Sunday 9.30am - 11.00am. Southern Springs Community Church 59 Marshall Road, Rocklea. Meet with Indian Christians for prayer, praise & worship. Fellowship & refreshments after the service. contact Ps. Sivanus Naidu (Senior Pastor) 3274 2542 or 0417 197 747 Indian Senior Citizen Association Committee meetings are held 3rd Sunday of every alternate month from 2pm to 4pm. For further information contact: President: Mr Bir Sahai 3344 4715, Secretary: Mr Tirat Achal 0407 620 663, Treasurer: Mr Hari Prasad 3209 5174 International Multicultural Christian Fellowship Elevate Church (AOG Church) Vision - Each One Reach One Worship & Word every Sunday at 9.30am to 11.30am followed by free sausage sizzle - everyone welcome. Home prayer meeting every Wednesday at 7.00pm to 8pm. Fasting and prayer Thursday from 7.00pm to 8.00pm for special needs. Youth group - every Friday 6.30pm to 8.30pm at 3, Montserrat Pl, Forest Lake Kids church - special kids church every Sunday Music and food - once a month at the Forest lake stage 5pm onwards.Womens group - every thursday 11.00am pls contact Ps. Mavis on 0418745179 Revelation 3:20 (NIV)Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Church Address - Elevate Church, Grand Avenue Primary School, Forest Lake 4078, Corner of Grand Avenue and Centennial Way, Contact Pastor Raj Singh with any questions about church on: Mobile 0407177117 or Email rajmavisforjesus@yahoo.com.au www.elevatechurch.org.au Islamic Society of Queensland hosts Zikre Mustapha programme Program starts from Maghrib to Isha Prayers. 2nd Saturday of the month at Rochedale Mosque - 2664 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains. Dinner provided to all after Isha Namaz. For enquiries contact Imam Ali on 0407 156 527, Asif Ali Khan on 0411 516 007 or Shamim Khan on 0403 541 012. Kannada Sangha Qld Inc Promoting Kannada culture, Kannada activities and community based events and functions For more information contact: President Dr Balaji Hiremagalur 0421 583 273 Secretary Navin Kumar 0413 164 401, email: kannadasanghaqld@gmail.com www.chandana-brisbane.org. 52 Parkway Crescent Murrumba Downs Qld 4503. Lotus Ashram - Free yoga lessons every Friday at Sunnybank Primary School, Glendower Street, from 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm. Donations are welcome. For details, email ambashram@gmail.com Lourde Matha Malayalee Community Every month Malayalam Mass (Qrbana) in

Brisbane. An opportunity to meet with other malyalees for Mass, prayer and spiritual renewal. For more information about up coming events. Contact Fr. Thomas Areekuzhy 4697 3177 youth coordinator. Siju Mathew 0432 192 558. Malayalee Association of Qld – For a detailed list of upcoming events, contact the President C K Oonnikrishnan Nair on 0416 927 100 or email ckuknair_maq@hotmail.com, Dr Cyril Fernandez Vice President on 0404 433 044 or email cgfernz@hotmail.com. E: maq@brisbanemalayalee.org or visit www.brisbanemalayalee.org. Public Zikre Mustapha programme Program starts from Maghrib to Isha Prayers. Last Saturday of the month at Logan Mosque - 260 3rd Avenue, Kingston. Dinner provided free to all after Isha Namaz. For enquiries contact the chairman Mr Nawab Khan on 3209 4627 Queensland Telugu Association President – Dr Prakash Nallamilli; Treasurer – Mr Manoj Vemula; Secretary – Mr Sai Gollapudi; Executive Committee Members – Mr Srikanth Chalasani, Mr Sudershan Kanthakadi. For a list of upcoming events and membership information, please contact: Secretary, Mr Sai Gollapudi on 0409 907 934 or email saigollapudi@yahoo.com Sant Mat (Sant Baljit Singh) Sant Mat is a practical path based on meditation on the inner Light and Sound, ethical values, service to others and love for all creation. Its goal is to enable the soul to return and merge into its source; the purpose of human life described by mystics of all traditions. Focus and sincerity are essential, as is the help of the living spiritual Master. Sant Baljit Singh, the living spiritual Master, teaches the meditation on the inner Light and Sound to anyone who is searching for a deeper meaning in life. We have representatives ready to talk to you. No charge at any stage. For further information contact 1800 462

www.indiantimes.com.au

193 or visit www.santmat.net.au Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) and Hindu Education Centre 4915 – 4923 Mt Lindsay H’way South Maclean. Temple Opening Hours: 7:30am – 11:00am and 5:00pm – 8:30pm. Pooja times – Weekdays 9:00am and 7:30pm. Weekends 9:00am and 6:00pm. Contact President Vimal “Vic” Ratnam 0411 594 394, Temple Priest 07 5547 7302 St. Thomas Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church Brisbane Malayalam Holy Qurbono, Sunday School and other spiritual activities. Holy Qurbono celebrated by Rev. Fr. Jigi Varghese at 2pm on the third Saturday of every month at St Mary’s & Joseph’s Coptic Orthodox Church, 2 Hamish Street Calamvale Qld 4116. For more information about upcoming events and activities please contact: Dr. Joy Pynadath 0431 631 397, Joy Mathew 0403 114 470, Roby John 0401 900 494 TOUCH Group of families Program includes Bollywood dance, Sri Lankan dance, Saomoa cultural dance, fashion show, musical program. Anyone who would like to join can contact touch.families@gmail.com or call Sripathy & family 0432 768 607, Vijekumar & family 3823 4628, Saravanan & family 3823 5037, Shanker & family 3711 3912, Sri Jayendrakumr 3272 5781 What’s on is your Council guide to what is happening in Brisbane. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au> Women of Light is a multicultural group of women whose passion and desire is to reach out to women who are looking from friends, are hurting, need help in any area. Women of Light meet every Monday at Thursdays 11am for a time of fellowship, sharing and encouragement. Join the ladies for a free lunch every Monday. For more information contact Mavis on 0418 745 179 or 07 3879 9735.

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 51

WHAT’S ON! Community Events... Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) - to view all upcoming events please visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org Melmaruvathur Aadhiparasakthi Brisbane Mandram - 11 November – Bajan 5pm to 7pm at 1 Lalina Street, Middle Park Qld 4074. For more information contact Para M Saba 0438 778 483 GRANDPARENTS DAY - Sunday 19 November – Grandparents Day is a chance for grandchildren and the community to thank grandparents for their love and support. Community groups can get involved by organising a Grandparents Day event. Ideas for activities include morning teas, an intergenerational walk for grandparents and grandkids or exhibiting artwork from children on why they love their grandparents. For more information visit www.communities.qld.gov.au Victims of War Association Inc - 24 November – Fundraising Dinner in aid of orphans, widows, destitutes and war victims in Afghanistan. From 6.30pm at AIIC College Hall (Australian International Islamic College) 724 Blunder Road Durack Qld 4077. Family *$50, Single $20. For more information contact Brother Mohammed Yusuf (ICQ) 0413 038 610 / Imam Abdul Quddoos Azhari (Chairman of AIIC) 0402 207 594 Jalaram Samiti of Brisbane celebrating its 6th Jalaram Jayanti - Sunday 25 November – at 2.30pm at MacGregor State School, McCullough St, Sunny Bank. Pandit: Archarya Shree Upendrabhai Joshi, Auckland New Zealand. Bhajans, JalaramBapa's Katha followed by Maha Prasad (Dinner). For further information please contact Rakesh Khatri 0411 418 450 / Pratap Narsey 0405 137 270 / Dharmendra Patel 0418 711 154 Brisbane Bhakti Yoga Centre - 11 - 16 December – We are pleased to announce

Brisbane Indian Times proudly serving the Multicultural Community since 2003 - proudly sponsor What’s On section!

NOV 12 / DEC 12 that Kishori Mohan and Sudevi will be visiting Brisbane December 11 December 16. They are returning to Australia after 3 years. They are well known for their kirtanas especially Vraja kirtanas. We are currently looking at organising programs for them. If anyone is interested to host a program or want to invite them for a home visit. Please contact Sundar Goopal 0403 993 746 or email bhaktibrisbane2010@gmail.com (unavailable between 2-18 Nov) or Prakash Raniga 3715 7570 Amrit Varsha in Brisbane - 18 to 20 January 2013 – Enlightening talks by Revered Master Anandmurti Gurumaa. At Macgregor State School Hall, 370 Macgregor, Brisbane 4109. FREE admission. For more information contact Arun Raniga 0403 301 337 or visit www.gurumaa.com

Festivals & Fetes... Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Qld Inc Deepawali 2012 Saturday 10 November from 6pm at 62 Newnham Road, Mt Gravatt East. Enjoy stage performances, traditional dances, Bhajans, Deepawali songs, dinner and sweets. FREE entry. For more information please contact Hari Chand 3345 4716, Mul Chand 3133 3527 Banyo District Community Group, Banyo Indian Community - Diwali Celebrations - Saturday 10 November – Please note that venue details have changed from those advertised, contact the numbers below for further details. Quiz, entertainment, cultural dances, food and lots of other activities. For more information contact Devinder 0423 875 537 or Elly 0433 969 964 Brisbane Maharashtra Mandal Inc – Diwali Festival – 17 November – 4.30pm-9pm at Holland Park State High School Hall. For more information contact

Suhas Chaudhari 0413 927 766 or email brimmandal@gmail.com BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, Australia – DIWALI & ANNAKUT – Sunday 18 & Monday 19 November – You are cordially invited to celebrate Diwali & Annakut in the presence of Pujya Jnanpurush Swami and Pujya Adarshmuni Swami. The festival of lights and a unique devotional offering of hundreds of exquisitely decorated vegetarian delicacies. Time: 5pm onwards at MacGregor State Primary School, 370 McCullough Street, Macgregor / Sunnybank Qld 4109. For more information please contact Dhirajlal Pala: 073108 2636 / Sureshbhai Patel 07 3299 2929 / Kiran Patel 0433 889 926. Monday 19 November from 6pm onwards at Albert Waters Community Centre, Cnr Hooker Blvd & Sunshine Blvd, Mermaid Waters, Gold

of Radio 4EB every Sunday from 9.00AM to 10.00AM. Listeners who do not have DAB+ radio can listen the program live on the web at http://www.4eb.org.au/ {click on under Global on Listen to the Global Digital live stream via windows media player..} Swaralahari can be heard on 4EBFM98.1 every Thursday from 1.30PM to 2.15PM. Swaralahari welcomes budding young carnatic music artists to appear on Swaralahari. Swaralahari address swaralahari@4eb.org.au Swaralahari website is http://www.qldswaralahari.org/ which can be best viewed using Google chrome webbrowser. There you can listen past swaralahari programs. Bollywood Show between 7-9pm on Global Digital Channel of Radio 4EB Listeners who do not have DAB+ radio can listen the program live on the web at www.4eb.org.au/global. You can also view other shows/timetable at above link. Bollywood Show proudly sponsored by Brisbane Indian Times Coast Qld 4218. For more information Bollywood Show on 99.7fm Monday nights please contact Arun Patel 0430 541 418 / between 7-9pm. Proudly sponsored by Divyesh Patel 0425 962 929 or visit Brisbane Indian Times www.baps.org How to stop thinking – Spirituality and education expert, Dr Farvardin Daliri OAM is conducting a series of workshops in Brisbane, 'I think I should not think', to assist people in gaining full control of their mind and processing the thousands of mes- Krishna - An evening of spectacular sages that bombard us on a daily basis. works of Ace Choreographer, Actor and Workshops are held at The Lightworkers Padmasri Awardee Shobana 10 Cottage - 2/152 James Street New Farm November – at Aspley State School, Saturday 24 November 8.30am-6pm Maundrell Terrace, Aspley Qld 4034 from The workshops are generating a great deal 5.30pm. For more information / ticket prices of interest and limited places are still avail- contact Shaji Theckanath 0401 352 044, able. For ticket pricing / registration contact Surendran Tharmalingam (Manga) 0433 232 Lida 0414 804 322 or Farvardin 0414 356 794 875 or email farvardin.daliri@bigpond.com Bamboo Bliss Indian Classical Bansuri MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID 10 November – Taro Terahara & Shen COURSE - 7 & 8 December – from 9am Flindell - Open 7pm - Start 7.30pm at 36 to 4.30pm. The course aims to increase Kingsgate St, Oxley. Recommended donaknowledge and skills on the early identifi- tion $20. For further details contact Shen cation of the most common health problems 0415 106 428, email in Australian adult population - anxiety, shen@ethnosuperlounge.com or visit depression and substance use disorder, and www.ethonosuperlounge.com/taro-in-oz one of the most uncommon illnesses - psy- Kannada Sangha Qld - Sangeetha Rasa chosis. Expressions of interest are wel- Sanje - 11 November – A Kannada Karaoke comed from those who are actively helping Track based Musical Evening performed by others in own cultural communities and feel upcoming Indian playback singer - Chinmai comfortable attending a course in English Athreyas at Hamilton Hall, Racecourse Rd, language. To register your interest or for Hamilton Qld 4007. Details availabe at www.chandana-brisbane.org SBR presents A Musical Evening with Navnith Lal and Ravikesh Singh (Diciple of Pt Ishwar Lal Mishra) December 15 – more information please contact Vinay at 7pm at 46 Doggett Street Newstead Qld Community Qld on 3510 2719 or email 4006. Ticket prices $15 per adult $10 convinay@community.org.au Full details locat- cession. For more details call Wahid on ed on page 42 of this issue. 0434 412 443 or Ravi on 0403 822 165 or Now, South Indian Classical Music (ie visit Carnatic Music) lovers can enjoy their www.southborderrecords.com.au favourite music on Global Digital Channel

Public Lectures / Seminars

Shows / Musical Evenings....

Radio Shows...

Brisbane

Indian Times A D ivi sio n of Qld Multi cultural Time s

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Brisbane Indian Times is proud to assist community organisations / non profit organisations with the promotion of their upcoming events. Weekly mailout of what’s on is emailed to event subscribers. If you would like to subscribe to the mailout, please email our office - admin@indiantimes.com.au

52 - BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Bollywood & Entertainment Saif-Kareena wedding - a 'private' affair in true sense NEW DELHI, Oct 19 (IANS) The centre of attention, yet far away - Bollywood's star couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's fiveday wedding celebrations turned out to be an extravaganza to remember for the guests. But there was little that the event offered to satiate the media frenzy around it. Ever since Saif and Kareena started dating each other in 2007, they were hardly any interviews that ended without the big question about the D-day. But they evaded it and maintained silence till the last minute. Even as Saif's mother, veteran actress and Begum of Pataudi, Sharmila Tagore, had confirmed the wedding date as Oct 16 way in advance, the speculations continued. As the date drew closer, rumours about their attires surfaced, but any confirmation was away from the prying cameras and sharp ears of journalists, until the eleventh hour. Given that Saif, 42, is the son of late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and Kareena, 32, belongs to Bollywood's famed Kapoor clan, the celebrations were bound to be big. And that, they indeed were. A pre-wedding gala, a covered terrace event at Kareena's Bandra residence, allowed no peek-a-boos, except for an inkling about the attendees - which included the bride and groom's close family and friends. What followed was the much-awaited D-day - surprisingly, a simple registered marriage affair, with Kareena dressed in a mehndi green and vermillion suit and Saif in a grey kurta-pyjama. Kareena's mother Babita and father Randhir Kapoor signed as witnesses from the bride's side, while Saif's mother Sharmila Tagore signed as a witness from the groom's side. The actors, finally husband and wife, now posed for shutterbugs and waved at the media, whole-heartedly. But they cocooned back soon, now for the

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

www.indiantimes.com.au

reported 'nikaah' ceremony, as well as a party for Bollywood's who's who. Kareena decided to go traditional and she dressed in her mother-in-law's wedding gear, which was reworked upon by ace designer Manish Malhotra. If the bride's trousseau was dominated by Malhotra's original creations, except the "exchange of vows" at the Taj Palace and Hotel in Colaba, Mumbai, designer Raghavendra Rathore added his royal touch for Saif's wardrobe. But amidst all the hoopla created by entusiastic media, paparazzi couldn't breach the couple's security arrangements for any scoops. Till the last moment, only a few details could be availed. Even the guests remained faithful to their hosts and refused to give away any vital information, except for a leaked invitation about the Delhi reception, attended by high profile politicos including Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit. Media, that camped outside the venues both in Mumbai for 'nikaah' and in Delhi for the 'walima', just for a photo opportunity, kept waiting. This was unlike the last high profile Bollywood wedding of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan in 2007, where megastar Amitabh Bachchan played a perfect host. The 'uninvited' media was catered for, with water and food. Recently, at his 70th birthday bash, Big B also laid out a seperate dinner for journos standing there to cover the red carpet. However, Saif and Kareena's union will be remembered as a classic case of celebrities' acquired ability to maintain privacy in their personal lives. Not bad!

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 53

Bollywood & Entertainment 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro' - laugh away the 'bruise' again Film: "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro"; Cast: Naseerudin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Bhakti Bharve, Pankaj Kapur, Satish Shah, Om Puri, Neena Gupta; Director: Kundan Shah IT WAS the year before prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated (1984). The nation was not in the best of moods. There were raised voices and frayed tempers prevalent across the nation as corruption and intolerance reached an all-time high. Given the milieu "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" (JBDY) chose to laugh away the bruise. There is a sharp zaniness about JBDY, which serves as a scathing antidote to the growing sense of collective dismay that the nation faced as extremism, and inflation hit the nation hurling it towards damnation. Many regard JBDY as the funniest Hindi film ever made. I am not too sure. A sense of deep sombreness behind the giggles and guffaws. The plot about two out-of-work photographers named, hold your legal notices, Vinod Chopra (Naseruddin Shah) and Sudhir Mishra (Ravi Baswani), has episodes of acute hilarity and interludes of absolute anarchy. You know from the Faustian flavour, the Shakespearean fervour and frenetic pacing, that there was an abundance of improvisation on the sets. You also know as you watch the film's newly restored edition that the film was made on a shoestring budget, which afforded meager finesse, and practically no re-takes. Nope. Nothing can restore the austerity and begging-bowl crisis that the film had to face. The actors had to literally survive by their instincts, which could only take the narration this far and no further. There are too many references and cross-references to politicians and scams. The nexus between politics and journalism is brought out through a character named Shobha Sen (Bhakti Bharve) a hard-nosed newspaper editor who uses our two heroes

to get an expose on a builder named Tarneja (Pankaj Kapur) and his murky collaboration with a municipal officer named D'Mello (Satish Shah). D'Mello soon ends up as a corpse in a traveling coffin that leaves us chortling heartily or coughing uneasily, depending on how far we are willing to accept the opulent oeuvre of the outlandish and the outrageous that the film throws forward. In one sequence we see the dead-drunk builder Ahuja (Om Puri) driving into the coffin carrying the dead D'Mello thinking it's another vehicle. The sequence is funny only if you are hell bent on enjoying the goofiness of a grand high-school reunion fete bringing together grownup professionals who decide to "have fun" for one evening even if some of their actions make

them look downright silly. In JDBY everyone is out to have fun. It's a very boys kind of nudge-nudge-wink-wink fun where the brunt of the joke is the system that fosters and encourages corruption on every level. The characters discuss malpractices without shame or purdah. The cast is mainly masculine. The two women in the cast Bhakti Bharve and Neena Gupta behave like the boys. Bharve's hard-nosed journalist's act is astonishingly unladylike for those times. She uses her "charms" to outwit her male adversaries and to make Vinod putty in her hands. In the end, when Sudhir and Vinod are framed for scams, which they had set out to expose, Shobha walks away from the duo leaving them to face the music. There is an unmentionable 'b' word for such

'Kranti Veera Sangolli Raayanna' truly historical Film: "Kranti Veera Sangolli Raayanna"; Cast: Darshan, Jayaprada, Nikitha Thukral, Shashi Kumar, Sreenivasa Murthy, Ramesh Bhat, Shobharaj, Doddanna, Sathyajith, Sourav and others; Director: Naganna; Producer: Anand Appugol; Dialogues: Keshava Adithya; Camera: Ramesh Babu; Music: Yasho Vardhan; Background score: Hari Krishna; Rating: **** ANAND Appugol's historical film "Kranti Veera Sangolli Raayanna", directed by Naganna is a spectacular film which details the life and times of the 19th century's greatest freedom fighter Raayanna of Sangolli, Karnataka. Despite a running length of nearly 180 minutes, the film looks colourful, rich and does not have a dull moment. Raayanna is being hailed as the first person to have started guerilla warfare against the British rule, which was later followed by other freedom fighters like Alluri Seetharama Raju from Andhra Pradesh. A lot of care has been given to historical details in the movie, though some distortions can also be seen - like Raayanna's love of a girl. However, such minor distortions apart, the film is a huge spectacle marked by top class performances and superb technical work. The dialogues, written by Keshava Adithya, are also a high point. Naganna has also ensured liberal use of commercial elements in the film to show the heroism of Sangolli Raayanna.

The film was publicised as the costliest film made in Kannada with an estimated budget of around Rs.30 crore. The making of the film stands to such a claim as the two war sequences shot for the film are brilliantly executed and expensive sets were erected to shoot the palace sequences. It boasts of a big star cast and a number of well-known technicians have worked in the film, which was shot for nearly 135 days. Another major highlight is that Kannada star Sudeep has used his baritone to give voiceover in the film. The voiceover in the final sequence is brilliant. The film starts with the British government seeking alimony as per the Monroe Agreement, which is resisted by Kitthoor administration, headed by Queen Chennamma. The local collector decides to wage a war against Kiththoor kingdom, but Chennamma and her trust-

54 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

ed lieutenant fight courageously and win the battle. The British government seeks the support of some greedy persons to wage a war again and win. Chennamma is sent to prison, while Raayanna continues his fight against the British. But he is cheated by his own people, who conspire with the local British administration, and is arrested. He is sentenced to be hanged till death. With a perfect body language and dynamism displayed in the title role, Kannada film industry's superstar Darshan suits the role of a young and loyal freedom fighter. His dialogue delivery in the north Karnataka accent perfectly suits the mood of the film. And as usual, he excels in the action sequences. Jayaprada suits the role of Chennamma. Nikitha Thukral, who has a brief role as Raayanna's love interest, is impressive. All the veteran artists, including Shashi Kumar, Sreenivasa Murthy, Ramesh Bhat and others deliver stong performances. Ramesh Babu's camera work and Hari Krishna's background score are the highlights of the film. Keshava Adithya's dialogues make a strong impact, while the costume designer has done a great job with the period drama. This one is a must watch for its brilliant presentation and Darshan's superb performance.

www.indiantimes.com.au

exploitative women. Among its many pioneering achievements is the use of the inspirational song "Hum honge kaamyaab", a desi rendering of the song "We shall overcome", a protest song conceived for the African-American Civil Rights Movement. It went on to acquire a renewed popularity through its ironic usage in the film. To this day "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" remains a crazy film, filled with madcap situations straight out of comedies from the silent era with a corpse rolling down Mumbai's highways and time-bomb's planted to kill the "good" blowing up in evil faces. The message is loud and clear: farce can fight a moral-political fascism. Characters talk incessantly either about corruption or about being corrupt. We can see the downslide in the moral values in Indian politics and bureaucracy was already happening in a major way. Yes, Amitabh Bachchan had much reason to be angry. The Big B's anti-establishment film "Andha Kanoon" rubbed shoulders with Govind Nihalani's "Ardh Satya" during the same year that Kundan Shah's comedy of 'eras' made an impact. Significantly this was also the year when the pre-Bachchan superstar Rajesh Khanna had his last spate of hits - "Avtaar", "Souten" and "Agar Tum Na Hote". Romance in cinema was dying. The angry brand of heroism was being favoured. "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" is also an angry film, but the wrath of the common man is here seen in a mirthful mood. Laugher is taken to be the best medicine to fight injustice. The film rightly celebrated climactic confusion on stage where the film's characters mingle with the characters from the "Mahabharata" to create a poetic panic and anarchy served well as a metaphor for the tangle that the country had created in its socio-political system months before Mrs. Gandhi was killed.

Aseem Trivedi out of 'Bigg Boss 6' MUMBAI, Nov 2 (IANS) His stay on "Bigg Boss 6" has not been as controversial inside the house as it has been outside. Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi's journey on the reality show came to an end Friday (2 November) night, following his eviction and a recent agitation outside the office of the Colours channel. His entry on the show raised many eyebrows. He had even stated that his motive was to use the platform to spread a word about his message against corruption. Even before he stepped into the "Bigg Boss 6" house with 14 others, he was sure he would not provide any entertainment on the show. And he kept to his words. He maintained a quiet demeanour. But Republican Party of India (RPI) activists were ruffled by his presence. Activists of the Ramdas Athawale-led RPI recently pelted stones at the office of Colors TV channel here, demanding Trivedi's eviction from the show. In the past, Trivedi grabbed media attention due to his controversial cartoons on Indian emblems and the constitution during Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement in Mumbai in December 2011. He was arrested on sedition charges two months ago, but was released on bail after a stay of three days in jail. However on Oct 12, the Maharashtra government dropped sedition charges against Aseem. On "Bigg Boss 6" this week, two contestants were due to be shown the door, out of four nominated candidates - Gulab Gang leader Sampat Lal, model Karishma Kotak, hairstylist Sapna Bhavnani and Trivedi. Karishma left the show after her father passed away earlier this week, and Trivedi is said to have received the lowest votes from the audience. However, it would be no surprise if his ouster is a result of pressure on Colors officials from the RPI. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Bollywood & Entertainment 'Yaarukku Theriyum' partly engaging

Never had big dreams, says Shah Rukh on 47th birthday

Film: "Yaarukku Theriyum"; Cast: Sanjana Singh, Jayaprakash, Riyaz Khan and Kalabhavan Mani; Director: Ganeshan Kamaraj; Rating: **

MUMBAI, Nov 2 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, on his 47th birthday Friday 2 November, said he never had big dreams and achieved more than he expected. "I never had big dreams and I just wanted to work hard and be accepted and act in films. I got more than what I had wanted. I will not do anything to tarnish this happiness," Shah Rukh told reporters at his birthday celebrations at his house here. "I'm not one for big birthday celebrations. This (meeting mediapersons) has become a tradition. Other than this friends come and visit," he said. He said he was grateful when people dreamt of working with him. "I just get up everyday and work. I am happy when people say that working with me is like a dream come true for them," he said. On his journey as an actor, Shah Rukh he said he liked to do his job. "I'm just an actor who does his job and gets paid for it. I just pray that the amount of

ALONG the lines of Hollywood movies such as "Nine Dead" and "Saw", "Yaarukku Theriyum", a crime-thriller, would've definitely created an impact only if the director had opted for a familiar and experienced star cast. Despite an engaging plot, the film struggles to keep you hooked and eventually graduates as one sans any thrills. One fine evening, Shakti finds himself locked inside a factory along with two other grievously injured persons. They regain consciousness but fail to recollect who they are. Meanwhile, they stumble upon three more strangers, who also have no clue about how did they end up in the same factory. Further, none of them remember ever being acquainted and therefore they don't believe each other. Are these strangers connected? If yes, then how are they connected? With no way out, these strangers should connect the dots and find a way out. What could've been an edge-of-the-seat thriller gets sabotaged because of naive acting and poor characterisation. Although there are moments that increase tension in

the film, the overall output falls short of satisfaction. Director Ganeshan, with his amateurish style of filmmaking, does manage to impress a handful of audience, but eventually earns the disappointment of many. Thankfully, there are no sub-plots in the film and even in the flashback scenes; the director focuses solely on the thriller aspect without paving way to glamour, love and action. The film's strength is its screenplay, but sadly it gets diluted with every passing minute. Riyaz and Kalabhavan Mani show some involvement in their roles, while the rest go unnoticed with their cliched performance. Although the director showed signs of novelty in bringing forth a story Tamil audience are quite alien to, he simultaneously irritates them with the inclusion of too many English dialogues that sound artificial. "Yaarukku Theriyum" engages partly, but disappoints extremely.

Amitabh, Shah Rukh to inaugurate Kolkata film fest KOLKATA, Nov 2 (IANS) As many as 189 films from 60 countries will be screened at the 18th Kolkata Film Festival, which will be inaugurated by Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan Nov 10. Iranian film "Nader and Simin: A separation" directed by Azgarh Faradi will be the opening film of the eight-day festival ending Nov 17, said the organisers at a media meet. Tributes would be paid to first bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna, who died earlier this year. "Anand", the evergreen movie featuring Rajesh Khanna in the role of an ever-smiling cancer patient, would be screened. Bengali movie star Koel Mullick will be the thali girl for the second consecutive year at the opening, said her father and KFF chairperson actor Ranjit Mullick. "The festival has a budget of Rs.3 crore," said state information and culture secretary Nandini Chakraborty. However, she kept mum when asked about the contribution of the state government and the sponsors. Centenary tributes would be paid to Italian movie director Michelangelo Antonioni, 13

Pass order on Devgn's plea, high court tells CCI NEW DELHI, Nov 2 (IANS) The Delhi High Court asked the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to "urgently" pass the order on a plea filed by actor Ajay Devgn against the alleged monopolistic practices adopted by Yash Raj Films. Yash Raj Films (YRF), the production house owned by late Yash Chopra, allegedly abused its dominant position by asking exhibitors to dedicate more screens to their upcoming release "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" than for his "Son of Sardaar", Devgn said in a complaint to the CCI. "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" (starring Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma) and "Son Of Sardaar" (starring Ajay Devgn,

Sonakshi Sinha and Sanjay Dutt) are scheduled for release this Diwali Nov 13. Hearing the plea of Devgn, Justice Rajiv Shakdher asked the CCI to hear the plea and pass the order urgently. Advocate Rajiv Nayyar, representing Devgn, told the court that arguments in the case have been heard by the CCI. Nayyar said: "Petitioner (Devgn) would require some time to enter into some agreement with exhibitors before its release and the advance booking of the petitioner's film will commence from tomorrow (Nov 3) but the commission is not listing the matter in spite of the urgency."

Aishwarya gets French honour

of whose creations - five features and eight documentaries - would be showcased at the festival, the country's second oldest. It is the second time that the regime of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is organising the film fest. Like last year, the festival will kick off with a gala inaugural ceremony at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. The Calcutta-Kolkata section will showcase eight feature films giving a wider window to understand the city.

Anupam's book to be published in Korean MUMBAI, Nov 2 (IANS) Bollywood actor Anupam Kher's motivational book "The Best Thing About You Is You" will be published in Korean language. "My publisher informs me that my book, 'The Best Thing About You Is You', will be published in Korean language. Jai Ho," tweeted the 57-year-old. The book, published by Hay House, is about welcoming changes and adapting to circumstances for a happy and satisfied life. The actor recently gifted a copy of the book to Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee, who was in India to promote his forthcoming release "Life Of Pi". Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

love and happiness which I have received continues," he said. "I'm happy other people are also happy for me on my birthday. It is very touching," he said

MUMBAI, Nov 2 (IANS) Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai was Thursday conferred upon a civilian award by the French government for her contribution to the arts on the occasion of her birthday. Francois Richier, ambassador of France to India, conferred the honour of prestigious 'Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters' on her at a hotel here. On receiving the award, Aishwarya said: "I want to thank the French government for honouring me with the award. It's truly overwhelming. I thank you in all humility." She thanked her family for their support and expressed her gratitude towards her colleagues. "I want to thank every professional who I have worked with and who made it possible for me to have such a glorious career," she said. The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters honour is given to people who have shown

www.indiantimes.com.au

exceptionable contribution to arts in France and the rest of the world. In the past, noted celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and Nandita Das received the honour. The entire Bachchan family, except Jaya Bachchan, were present at the event. Aishwarya's daughter Aradhaya was also there. Besides her family, actress Nandita Das, Parmeshwar Godrej and filmmaker Pritish Nandy were also present on the occasion among others. Aishwarya turned 39 Thursday 1 November, so a cake cutting ceremony was also organised for her. After winning the Miss World crown in 1994, Aishwarya debuted as an actress in Mani Ratnam's 1997 Tamil movie "Iruvar". Later she did Hindi movies like "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam"," Guru", "Jodhaa Akhbar" and "Devdas".

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 55

Bollywood & Entertainment Couldn't find stunt doubles for 'Commando' action scenes: Vidyut MUMBAI, Nov 4 (IANS) In his second Hindi film "Commando", Vidyut Jamwal takes action to next level by combinig Indian and Brazilian martial art forms - kalaripayattu and jiu jitsu respectively. He has done action scenes himself as the filmmakers couldn't find a duplicate to do the fight scenes that involves hand to hand fight. "The highlight of the film is that I have done the stunt scenes on my own. There are no stunt doubles in the film. So, basically it's the first official action movie with real stunt scenes. I have trained specially for the film," Vidyut, who entered Bollywood as a vil-

lain in "Force", told IANS. "I leaned kalaripayattu from the age of 3. I have lived in Kerala till I was 13 and learned kalaripayattu... then I was the National gymnast. This film is an amalgamation of kalaripayattu and jiu jitsu, which has not been done before," he added. Vidyut says the action scenes were so difficult that they couldn't find body doubles. "There are no guns used in the film. It's hand to hand combat action where body is being used to the fullest. We couldn't find stunt doubles for my action scenes as I had acrobat scenes, which is not easy to pull off."

Vidyut plays lead in the film and is paired with former Miss India Pooja Chopra. "Force" saw Vidyut as a baddie, but he was not scared of being typecast in Bollywood. "I was not worried at all as I got the awards not for playing negative role in 'Force', but as debutant actor. I believe the audience has accepted me, so I am not scared of being typecast," the 32-year-old said. Producer-director Vipul Shah's "Commando" was shot in Chandigarh, Patiala and Manali. It is slated for a March or April release.

Cancer-struck Innocent takes career break

Divya Darshan roped in for '16th Floor'

Sanjay Dutt second lead in Luthria's next?

KOCHI, Nov 3 (IANS) Veteran actor Innocent, who has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphocyte, is taking a break from movies as he treads the path to recovery. Innocent is being treated for cancer at a private hospital in Ernakulam. His cancer was detected at an early stage. On the other hand, actor Jagathy, who is hospitalised since the past three months after he got seriously injured in a road accident, is also recovering at Vellore Hospital. Well-wishers of both the actors are praying for their well being and waiting for them to return to the big screen.

ACTOR Divya Darshan, who is yet to make his Malayalam film debut, has signed his second film. He will play the lead role "16th Floor", his home production. Directed by Santhosh Sedhu Madhavan, the movie will go on floors in January 2013. It also features Sreenivasan, Darshan's uncle Mukesh, Sonia Mann and Natasha. Meanwhile, Divya Darshan's debut film "Hide N Seek", will hit the screens this December. His debut movie has also been produced by his parents Rajendran and Sandhya.

MUMBAI, Nov 4 (IANS) Filmmaker Milan Luthria's next film, a mix of romance, action and emotion, may feature Sanjay Dutt in the second lead along with Saif Ali Khan. Produced by Bhushan Kumar and directed by Luthria, the untitled film has finalised Saif so far and it will go on the floors in July 2013. "Yes, there are two leading men in this film. We have not finalised the second lead though. The film is in the writing stage and we will finalise the second lead soon." When asked about the reports of Sanjay

'Delhi Safari', 'Hey Krishna' in run for Oscar nod LOS ANGELES, Nov 3 (IANS) Indian animation films "Delhi Safari" and "Hey Krishna" ("Krishna Aur Kans") have been submitted for shortlist for the best animated feature film category of the 85th Academy Awards. Nikhil Advani's "Delhi Safari" and Vikram Vetturi's "Hey Krishna" will compete with 21 other animation feature films to make it to the final nomination list of the prestigious awards ceremony, according to the official Oscar website oscars.org.

Others in the list are "The Painting", "ParaNorman", "The Pirates! Band of Misfits", "The Rabbi's Cat", "Rise of the Guardians", "Secret of the Wings", "Walter & Tandoori's Christmas", "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Zarafa". The final nominations will be announced Jan 10, followed by a gala awards ceremony Feb 24. For the best foreign film category, India has sent Anurag Basu's "Barfi!" for shortlist this year.

joining the cast, Kumar said that "it is not finalised yet. So, I can't comment on it right now. When Milan was writing the film, he came up with some ideas and we are working on it accordingly". Earlier, Saif was supposed to play a double role in Luthria's film. As far as other cast members are concerned, Kumar said that they "are in the process of finalising the leading lady. The film is going on floors in July 2013 so we have enough time with us". In the past, Luthria worked with both Saif and Sanjay in "Kachche Dhaage" and "Deewaar" respectively.

Kunal Kemmu visits hometown after nine years MUMBAI, Nov 4 (IANS) Actor Kunal Kemmu, who was born in Jammu, visited his native place after a gap of nine years and says that he gorged on Kashmiri cuisine. "...Headed to Jammu after almost nine years. It's my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. Thank you for all your wishes for my grandparents.. My network was down for the last two days," the 29-year-old tweeted.

"Have had the most delicious meals in the last two days. Love Kashmiri food. It was also fun having so many conversations in Kashmiri - I did well," he further tweeted. Kunal, who worked in movies like "Kalyug", "Traffic Signal", "Dhol" and "Golmaal 3", was last seen in Vishal Mahadkar's "Blood Money". He is currently working in "Go Goa Gone" that also stars Saif Ali Khan, Vir Das and Puja Gupta.

Weaving movies with shoestring budgets: Here's how By Haricharan Pudipeddi CHENNAI, Nov 4 (IANS) The next time when you feel you can't possibly make a film with a few lakh rupees, take a look at names like Srinivas Sunderrajan, Lakshmy Ramakrishnan and Hemant Gaba - all independent filmmakers who have successfully made movies with shoestring budgets. In times when multi-crore budget films shot with extravagance and in international locales are coexisting with movies made in the country's hinterlands and within smaller budgets, one wonders what can be done to take a script to screen by spending the lowest possible amount. Sunderrajan, who made HindiEnglish drama-thriller "The

Untitled Kartik Krishnan Project", spent merely Rs 40,000 on the project, which was supposed to be a zero budget film. Sunderrajan adopted the guerilla filmmaking technique to shoot the film mostly on weekends and in several locations without permission. "Most of us had day jobs and therefore chose to shoot over the weekend. When we had to shoot on the train, we would just go on board. We would bribe the waiters to let us in before they started service to shoot scenes in a cafe," Sunderrajan told IANS. At any given point, the director would work only with key characters of the film so that he could ensure cost-cutting. "Most of the time I worked with my cinematographer and lead

56 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

actor. Only when a location or scene needed change of actor, I would bring him or her to the shoot", he added. He also added that most of the editing was done on a borrowed Macbook, while the post-production, visual effects and sound design were done on home computer. Lakshmy Ramakrishnan, director of Tamil family-drama "Aarohanam", which was made under Rs.50 lakh, did most of her edit work on paper. That brought down the costs immensely. "Since I had everything on paper, every shot we took was used in the film and there was no wastage. We knew the exact duration of the film and how much footage we could afford to shoot," Ramakrishnan told IANS. www.indiantimes.com.au

She used her contacts to get best possible quotes on camera equipments and other such technical props. "It makes sense to get the pricing from three different people and decide on the best, based on quality and pricing," she added. Summing it up, Ramakrishnan also said being on schedule helped as the shooting was not extended even for a day. "In case shoot gets extended to another call sheet, I brought in what was planned for another day to the second call sheet; that way we saved money," she said. Hemant Gaba, director of Hindi comedy-drama "Shuttlecock Boys", which was made on a budget of Rs.35 Lakh, believed in keeping things as local as possible.

"Hire equipment, crew, and cast locally that not only gives flexibility to shoot but can also cut down on the travel or hotel expenses," Gaba told IANS. "For post-production, not every city in India provides colour correction and 5.1 mix facilities, but if one is willing to learn, colour correction can also happen on softwares like Magic Bullets and Scratch that are widely used in Indie films abroad," he added. "There is no definitive guide out there in terms of inexpensive workflows, but using internet as a medium and researching as a habit can also keep costs in control," concluded Gaba. And, as filmmaker Shekhar Kapur puts it, "Anyone with a phone with a video-making ability is now a filmmaker." Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Bollywood & Entertainment Neetu Wadhwa's dream role 'Teen Kanya' director claims screening at Star, theatre denies - to play special child MUMBAI, Nov 4 (IANS) She has featured in half-adozen shows, but designercum-dietician-cum-actress Neetu Wadhwa has still not found the role of her dreams. The actress, who is currently busy writing a script, is keen to play a special child. "Till now I haven't got the role that I always wanted to do. All the shows I did had normal stories... you know how TV works. We don't have much exposure to perform in TV. I want to play a special child," she told IANS. Films have been made on children with special need and Neetu feels it is high time television portrays this reality in their shows. "It has happened with Rani (in 'Black') and Sridevi in 'Sadma'. In TV, they just show normal love stories, saas-bahu sagas. If they are showing reality, they must show this reality as well. There are so many families where special children are born. So why do we need to run away from this," she said. "One show had come called '12/24 Karol Bagh' where they used to show someone with this (with a learning disability) problem. But later he started understanding everything. But that's not how it works (in real life)," she added.

Neetu has an old association with such kids. "I go to this special child centre in Panvel. With these kids, their minds never develop. They live and die like this only. But yes, they understand the language of love. This is how they connect to you. I had a friend in school and her sister was a special child," she said. Neetu is willing to put in all the hard work in case she gets to play such a role. "It's a very challenging role. If I have to do such a role, preparation is vital," said the actress who has been part of shows like "Mamta" and "Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat". She was last seen in "Laagi Tujhse Lagan". Talking about the future, she said: "I am looking for films. After 'Laagi...' I got offers for TV, but there was nothing interesting. It was like normal love stories." The actress is working on a script. "I am writing a script as well. I have just started. I have two to three ideas - suspense thriller, horror and comedy. This is for films. I am a designer and a consultant dietician as well. I am also a big time fitness freak," she said.

Small films brings brisk box office business

NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (IANS) They are small in terms of budgets, but romantic comedy "Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana" and horror thriller "1920 Evil Returns" have managed a fair opening for themselves by earning Rs.1.25 and Rs.4.05 respectively on its opening weekend. Made on a budget of Rs.3 crore "Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana" has already broke even - it collected Rs.1.25 crore Friday followed by Rs.2 crore Saturday 3 November. Co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Anurag Kashyap, "Luv Shuv..." celebrates the lovable quirks of a Punjabi joint family. Revolves around a secret chicken curry recipe, the film has managed to tickle funny bones of the viewers. Featuring Kunal Kapoor, Huma Qureshi and Rajesh Sharma, the film is Sameer Sharma's directorial debut. "While Luv Shuv..." took audience on a laughter ride, "1920 Evil Returns" gave goosebumps to the cinegoers. Produced by Vikram Bhatt on a slightly higher budget of approximately Rs.10 crore, the supernatural thriller collected Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Rs.4.05 crore Friday and the following day it grossed Rs.3.80 crore. " '1920 Evil Returns' Friday Rs. 4.05 crore, Saturday Rs.3.80 crore. Marginal decline in mass circuits, while Mumbai increases. Overall very good," tweeted trade analyst Taran Adarsh. An elated Bhatt said in a statement: "It's overwhelming when something you've worked hard on bears fruit. We are glad audiences are embracing the film". Directed by Bhushan Patel, the story of the supernatural thriller revolves around Jaidev Verma, played by Aftab Shivdasani. He portrays a famous poet who lives the life of a loner as he is unable to meet the love of his life. He stays with his sister Karuna (Vidya Malvade), who is his support system until he meets Smruti (Tia Bajpai). Adarsh tags the film as Bhatt's comeback. "Looking at the Friday numbers -'1920 Evil Returns', it should be titled Vikram Bhatt Returns with a bang. After 'Raaz 3' and now this film. It has packed a punch on Day 1, especially at single screens of mass circuits," he tweeted.

KOLKATA, Nov 4 (IANS) Director Agnideb Chattopadhyay, whose Bengali movie "Teen Kanya" was banned in staterun Star theatre for being "anti-government", said the theatre has withdrawn its decision. But the theatre authorities rejected Chattopadhyay's claim. "The distributors of my movie said that they have been informed by the Star authorities that the film ('Teen Kanya') will be screened from Sunday 4 November evening onwards. I am very happy at the turn of events," Chattopadhyay said. The director claimed that he was informed about the decision by Hemendra Dave, a film distributor who supervises screening of movies at the Star theatre. Dave, however, rubbished the director's claim by saying the movie would not be screened as the Star auditorium was booked for other programmes. "No, the film will not be screened here. I don't know why he made such a claim. There has been no talk on screening of 'Teen Kanya' at the Star (theatre)," Dave said. "The movie is not being screened because of other bookings and not because it is anti-

government. The theatre is booked for the eight-day Kolkata International Film Festival starting Nov 10 and some stage plays. So there is no chance of screening the movie," Dave added . The film, a suspense thriller, was released Friday 2 November. But it was pulled out of the Star theatre Saturday after being branded anti-government. The film is said to bear a resemblance to the real-life Park Street rape case, in which an Anglo-Indian woman was raped in a moving car in February. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee received severe criticism from all quarters after she initially dubbed the crime as "fabricated".

Aftab Shivdasani to get married next year MUMBAI, Nov 4 (IANS) Aftab Shivdasani, who has been unlucky in love, is set to marry Britain-born Indian model Nin Dusanj next year. Apparently Aftab's wedding is being planned in early 2013. The actor admits he's found love just when he needed it the most. "Yes, we will get married. Nin was Hong Kong based. She has now relocated to India. She is a Punjabi girl, born and raised in London. But she's been working in Hong Kong for the past six years," said Aftab. The 34-year-old had stopped signing films in 2010, took a year off to work on his physique and his performing abilities as an actor. He then came back to his friend and director Vikram Bhatt who signed him for "1920: Evil Returns" that has just hit the screens. The actor admits it's been a tough phase in his life. "I stopped signing films. There was no point in doing films I wasn't happy with. I only signed Vikram Bhatt's '1920: Evil Returns' and Indra Kumar's 'Grand Masti', sequel to 'Masti'," he said. "Masti" sequel is raunchier, more suggestive and risque than the first film, says the actor. "It has to be! There have been so many

spinoffs since 'Masti' was released in 2004. I can't say I'm comfortable with all the double-meanings and suggestive dialogues, but it is what the audience wants. Being an actor it's my job to do and say things I wouldn't in real life," said Aftab. Bhatt recently spoke to Aftab's new lady-love and was bowled over by her devotion to the actor. "If Aftab has been unlucky in his career, he has been even unluckier in love," said Bhatt and added: "Yes,I did speak to Aftab's girlfriend. I can tell you this much, it's a very rare kind of love that they share. Aftab has been singularly unfortunate in love. He has been used and discarded by women." "The thing about Nin is, she is not concerned with what he does, or what his stardom quotient is... When I spoke to her, I could feel this unconditional love that she has for Aftab. I think my friend has found his true love," he added. Bhatt said that emotionally and professionally, Aftab had hit a low, but he has "bornagain as an actor and as a human being. His life has come together. He's finally found the perfect partner and is hopefully en route to a second lease in his career...I'm happy."

Ameesha to endorse Gitanjali jewels MUMBAI, Nov 4 (IANS) Actress Ameesha Patel seems to be back with a bang - after signing a film, she has been roped in to endorse a jewellery brand. "It's true guys...I'm endorsing Gitanjali jewels. Just signed up with them last week...thank you for all the good wishes," tweeted the 37-year-old who recently endorsed a sunglass brand. The actress, who made her acting debut opposite Hrithik Roshan in "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai", was last seen in 2011

www.indiantimes.com.au

release "Chatur Singh Two Star". As far as films are concerned, she is doing "Singh Sahab - The Great" with Sunny Deol. Anil Sharma's film will go on the floors end of this month. It will be shot in Bhopal and Indore. Ameesha and Sunny were last seen together in 2001 hit "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha". She has also signed on to star in "Bhaiyyaji Superhit", "Race 2" and "Shortcut Romeo".

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 57

Sports News Design by: MIT

QFFA

NADI win QIDC 2012

QUEENSLAND FIJI FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Gibson says Narine will be future 'match-winner' in Tests BRIDGETOWN (Barbados), Nov 4 (IANS/CMC) Wily off-spinner Sunil Narine has been labelled as a "fast learner" and a "match-winner" and is expected to be one of the West Indies' trump cards on the Bangladesh tour this month. Narine's entry to Test cricket against England earlier this year was a tame one but head coach Ottis Gibson said since then, the 24-year-old Trinidadian had improved tremendously to adapt to the more stringent demands of Test cricket, reports CMC. "He's a very fast learner. When he played his first Test match, it was on the back of very limited first class cricket. He made his name in one-day and T20 cricket," Gibson told a media conference here. "Bowling in one-day and T20 cricket is very different to bowling in Test match cricket and he had to learn how to bowl in this format, how to try and get wickets. "England, obviously, was an alien environment for him. He wasn't at his most comfortable. When we came back to the Caribbean we saw the real Narine. "Wickets in Bangladesh will suit him, they will be some assistance there for him. When the ball is spinning he's at his best and you saw in the series against New Zealand he started to go around the wicket which again

against shows (he's) learning." Narine made an unflattering debut in the game's longest version, going wicket-less in the rain-ravaged third Test in Birmingham back in June. The right-armer returned to the Caribbean and instantly reaped success against New Zealand, picking up 12 wickets in two Tests and another 13 in the five-match one-day series. Gibson said he expected Narine's improvement to continue, especially in Tests. "We expect him to be a handful for us. He's a match winner, certainly in the shorter format so far and we believe he will be a match winner in the longer format as well," Gibson noted.

New record for Tito, but points more important MADRID, Nov 4 (IANS) Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova saw his side set a record for their best ever start to a season, but he said that setting records was not the main aim. Adriano Correia, David Villa and Jordi Alba scored in Barca's 3-1 win over Celta Vigo in the Camp Nou on Saturday 3 November to give their side 28 points from a possible 30, beating the start achieved under Louis Van Gaal in the 1997-98 season, reports Xinhua. "The important thing is not the record, it is the fact that we have got points on the board," said Vilanova, who replaced Pep Guardiola as coach over the summer. Lionel Messi, who played despite having become a father just 24 hours earlier, received a kick on the knee and needed medical treatment. "He is OK, it looks like it is just a knock,

although the fact is that we were all worried. I am worried when I see Leo go down or when any of our players goes down and needs treatment." "He was fine after seeing his son born and he wanted to play. I don't think it affected him much even though he didn't get a lot of sleep," added Vilanova after a rare game in which Messi failed to hit the net. "If he says he is in condition to play, then he is going to play. I think he wanted to score a goal to be able to dedicate it to his son (Thiago)," said Vilanova, whose side suffered another injury setback when Adriano was forced out with a torn muscle in his groin. "It is worrying," he admitted, while adding that central defender Gerard Pique could be fit to return for Wednesday's Champions League clash away to Celtic.

INDIA 2012 - Running in India

• Pete Lane Rai Oct 2012 Dehra Dun

EACH year our correspondent Pete Lane Rai visits India with his wife to visit family and friends and take family and relational seminars that includes a session on keeping fit and healthy with young people. His Brisbane Running Club - In Training had donated 35 running shirts to give to anyone who would exercise with him. In the seminars he explains that life everywhere is full of challenges, but these can be overcome by discipline, dedication and determination. These are the same disciplines needed to keep healthy! He uses the life of the Lord Jesus Christ as a good role model to follow. September: Peters first stop was in Hyderabad where he was stayed for a week at a Youth Training Centre. Young men and women were there from all over North India. Ten of the young men were very

58 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

keen to exercise and run with Peter and were thrilled to get their running shirts as a reward. Next stop: October, Dehra Dun - North India Again Peter was at a Retreat centre with young people, but this time he got the cooking staff to do some exercise for a few days. They loved doing boot camp which is a combination of running and body exercises At the village of Rajpur in a drug Rehabilitation Centre, Peter did teaching on valuing yourself to 20 young men as well as a boot camp session. The men really enjoyed it. Nearby, at the Moravian School I did some running sessions with 40 young girls. 47

www.indiantimes.com.au

Finally, Peter did his annual run in the foothills of the Himalayas, starting in Rajpur, five kilometers from Dehra Dun (2000asl) and finishing in Mussoorie (7000 asl,) 32 kilometers away. It took him four and a half hours to run and two days later he did the return run which only took two hours as it was downhill all the way. Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Sports News Ned Flanders Cricket Club start their title defense Matt Young THE 2012-13 season has started for the Ned Flanders XI and already the men in the baggy maroon caps are looking optimistically towards plenty of success for the current season. After last season’s stellar success, when the team won all three of the Queensland Churches Cricket Association trophies, it was always going to be difficult to push the limits again this summer. Over winter the club continued their project to play against national teams in every continent. Initially, playing matches against Los Angeles representative teams, the team then headed down to Mexico and Belize to play those countries’ national teams. Even Belize, the Central American champions could not halt the Neddies from an undefeated tour. The tour marked the fifth continent for the Brisbane based club and only the final continental frontier of South America stands unconquered for them. After the exhilarating thrills of touring life it was a trifle tough to refocus for the demands of the new domestic season. While the steamy, sweaty heat and the exotic grounds of Central America have a certain appeal, there is nothing quite like striding onto the familiar turf of the Flanders home ground at Yeronga State High School. This summer has seen a few personnel changes at the Flanders camp. The rock of every innings last season, Dr Tom Dover has decided to focus on his marathon running and after coming a close second in the Brisbane Marathon has been invited to run the prestigious New York Marathon in early November. The club wishes him well but hopes that he may return later in the season. Club icon, (Sneaky) Pete Simmons is back after a lay off last season and he has steeled himself to have a bumper season with the blade. Dan (The Dog) Roe, the Neddies stalwart wicketkeeper has also decided to have a year off, with the arrival of his fourth child, Alexander. It won’t be the same without the great man taking the gloves. First up the Neddies played a One Day match against the Rangers

Large turnout for 18th Salwan Marathon

NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (IANS) As their support to ensure that everyand thanks primarily to the morning haze faded away, the thing went off smoothly." a club record opening Army Equestrian Centre came He further added: "In an attempt to partnership of 194 from alive with more than 48,000 stu- tell the participants that there are Adam Frankel (110) dents from 800 schools lining up to no shortcuts to glory, at this year's and Matt Young (89) run the 18th edition of the Salwan marathon, the winners across each the team set up an Marathon, the world's largest category of races were made to imposing score of 8 for cross-country run for school chil- undergo a Dope Test and Age Test. 267 from their allotted It is a good beginning for fair dren. 35 overs. Frankel’s The Marathon was flagged off by play." innings followed up his Students prepared themselves for Lt. General Anil Malhotra, director Player of the Tour general supplies and transport of as long as one month to run relentefforts in North lessly on the big day. the Indian army. America where he firmIn an effort to reach out to the The Salwan Cross Country ly established himself Marathon which saw participation whole student community, Salwan as one of the club’s from merely 300 students when it Marathon had this year tied up with greatest opening batsfirst started in 1995 has seen the various schools for visually man. Unfortunately the numbers rise creditably over the impaired students across India, and young doctor’s studies 'Special Olympics Bharat' to get years. and family commitintellectually challenged students The event also sees regular particments will preclude and street kids to participate in the ipation from 'specially abled' kids him from running onto run and get involved in the spirit of thus making it one of the events to the field very often this sport. look forward to each year. The summer and he will be The marathon categorised partici2012 marathon witnessed a huge hugely missed. The pants in eight different categories participation number, which bowling cartel then fol- • Cam Prosser celebrates his brilliant debut included 1,100 visually impaired - Visually impaired, intellectually lowed up the fine work with six catches. and 150 intellectually- challenged challenged (4.5 kms), Under 14 done by their batting Girls and Boys (4.5 kms), Under students. colleagues with Benny with a wicket a piece. The real 16 Girls and Boys (6 kms) and "It delights us to witness such ferField shouldering most of the talking point of the day, however, Under 18 Girls and Boys races (8 responsibility. Field grabbed three was the efforts of a young man on vent response for the 18th consecu- kms). tive year of Salwan Marathon. The wickets in a fiery spell of fast debut. Cam Prosser had earlier in Winners: • Visually Impaired Girls bowling and he was ably support- the day been welcomed into the movement has truly gathered Meenu (RV AK Sr Secondary School, momentum and is reflected in the ed by Adam Harris and Brendan club and was thrown into the Vikaspuri) • Visually Impaired Boys Dillon who applied the screws responsible role of wicketkeeper. increased number of participants as Rahul Kumar (JPM) • Intellectually with tight spells. Debutant, Peter He handled himself with aplomb, compared to last year," said Mr. Challenged Girls - Rupali (Asha Kiran School) • Intellectually Yates took a fine catch to cele- conceding no byes and holding Inder Dutt Salwan, trustee of the Special Challenged Boys - Gaurav Negi (Balwant brate his arrival at the club and the onto six superb catches. It was a Salwan Education Trust. Rai, Lajpat Nagar) • U-14 Girls Race "For us bigger than the run is the Shabnam Shokeen (SKV Dharampura) • whole team shared his excitement. club record performance and a Despite leaking 199 runs, the huge thrill for all of the club’s vet- safety and security of the students. U-14 Boys Race - Priyanshu Bharadwaj game was always under control erans to see a young bloke shine All the 48,000 students, who came (Rohan Mill Amrut Inter College) • U-16 for the run, have gone back safely. Girls Race - Usha Sati (SKV No 2 for the Flanders and a first up win in his first game. Yamuna Vihar) • U-16 Boys Race was secured just as the sun slipped I look forward to reporting the We would like to thank the Deepak (GBSSS Kolachi H.P.) • U-18 away on the first Saturday of the second week’s exploits next Services Sports Control Board, the Girls Race - Bharti (GGSSS Khajurikhas) 3,500 Marshals, and specially the • U-18 Boys Race - Sandeep Sharma season. month. Delhi Police who have extended all (Delhi) The season then reverted to Two Day fixtures and the St Paul’s Terminators were penciled in to play the Flanders next. Unfortunately, Churches Cricket’s newest club could not muster eleven able bodies for the match and so the Neddies were forced to sit out two beautiful summer days with a forfeit. The next match saw the Neddies taking on another new Churches club, the ‘4300 Flamingos’ in a Two Day game. The ‘4300’ alludes to their post code, out Goodna way, but the ‘Flamingos’ part of their name remains a mystery. After being sent in, the new chums handled themselves quite well and eked out 158 runs. Adam Harris built up some fire and pace with the ball and took four excellent wickets. Jayram Vasudevan and Benny Field grabbed a couple each and Mickey Menagh and Courtesy Anil Chandra Golf Club, the event was well attended with Stevie Derksen chimed in as well over 100 guests. NSW Fiji golf visited Brisbane to play against This is an annual event played at alternative Queensland Fiji Social Golf Club. State each year The event was held on Saturday 27 October at The tournament was won by the Queensland North Lakes Golf Club and Virginia Golf Club team. on Sunday 28 October. For more information on Queensland Fiji 60 players took part on each day. Queensland Social Golf Club please contact Anil Chandra team hosted dinner and karaoke at Virginia on 0412 785 447 or Jack Chand 0404 940 163. youngest competitor in the history of the Tournament at 14 years, five months and 17 days, reports Xinhua. The previous record was established by Matteo Manassero in 2010, when the 16-year-old earned an invitation after winning the British Amateur Championship in 2009.

The battle of the States....

Teenager Guan of China to be Masters' youngest golfer CHONBURI (Thailand), Nov 4 (IANS) Guan Tianlang, 14-yearold Chinese prodigy, became the youngest winner of the AsiaPacific Amateur Golf Championship after a closing one-under-par 71 gave him a 15-under total of 273 and a nailbiting one-stroke victory on Sunday 4 November. At Amata Spring Country Club here, Guan, the youngest player in the field, completed a wireto-wire victory that has earned him an invitation to next year's Masters Tournament. When the Masters begins next April, Guan is set to become the Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102

Guan has also secured a place in International Final Qualifying (IFQ) for The Open Championship along with runner-up Pan Cheng-tsung of Chinese Taipei, Asia's No.2 amateur, who shot a 65.

• QLD team Winners. www.indiantimes.com.au

• Faruk & Sayraz. THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012 — 59

60 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, November, 2012

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3356 0102